Aaron Wan-Bissaka is closing in on his huge move to Manchester United .
The 21-year-old is set to undergo the second part of his medical with the Red Devils on Thursday and look to agree personal terms over his £50m switch.
The young right-back has enjoyed a remarkable rise after making his first team breakthrough at Crystal Palace and emerging as one of England's brightest talents.
But his career has not always been plain sailing.
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror last November , Wan-Bissaka revealed how he fell in with the wrong crowd and a combination of laziness and poor diet almost caused the Selhurst Park club to release him.
His dad, Ambroise, ensured he turned things around after a moment of realisation and the rest, as they say, is history.
“There have been ups and downs," Wan-Bissaka said.
“At around 14, 15, I was turning up late, was lazy, wasn't trying in training, looking tired.
“It was diet stuff too. After school it was chicken and chips, fizzy drinks, stuff like that.
“Other players were fitter, doing more than me and I was just slowly going down the pecking order.
“I was just drifting away with the wrong friends. There were times when I'd have training at seven and I'd be out with them before and it would make me late.
“Apparently Palace were looking to release me at 14 because of things like that. They didn't tell me that but my dad did.
“My dad stopped me from seeing those friends. I was annoyed with him then but I realise now it was the right thing he did and I'm grateful for that.
“He said I can't be wasting this opportunity and how he used to take me in the rain, every day bus. Sometimes he used to miss work.
“That hit me. The way he told me it was like he was serious. I felt his pain so the next season I fixed up and from then I've just been shooting up.”
