Teenage Bermuda goalkeeper Dale Eve will look to grab his chance to become a professional footballer after being snapped up by English Premier League team Stoke City.Eve, 16, was named among Stoke’s new intake of scholars yesterday and will spend the next two years learning his trade while playing for the Potters’ Academy side.The 6ft 4in National Academy shot stopper was recruited after impressing Stoke scouts while turning out for a Derby County youth team last season.It’s understood Premier League giants Manchester City were also interested in the Dandy Town product.Joining Eve in the Academy are youth internationals Karim Rossi, from Switzerland, Smajl Suljevic, from Sweden, and Ireland’s Ryan O’Reilly.Academy coach Dave Wright believes this summer’s recruits have the potential to turn professional and make the first team in the future.“We are confident that we have a much stronger squad this year and that is due to the quality of the players we have been able to attract here,” he told the Stoke City website.“These lads are joining the Academy at an exciting time with a lot of changes to the set-up which will enable us to move forward . . . we are very committed to producing players for the first team.“This is an excellent opportunity for these young players, but it is also a very important time in their careers and it is up to them to make the most of that chance.”Cal Blankendal, who is due to step down as Dandy Town’s football director in September, is encouraged to see another of the club’s youngsters given the opportunity to make the grade.Several Hornets players have joined the pro ranks in recent years including Khano Smith (New England Revolution and Lincoln City), Nahki Wells (Carlisle United) and Reggie Lambe (Ipswich Town).“It’s good to see another of our former players go to the next level; we’ve had quite a few now like Nahki, Reggie and Khano,” said Blankendal.“We wish him all the best and hopefully he remembers where it started out for him. I’m sure his success can inspire other young players at Dandy Town and in Bermuda.“At Western Stars Sports Club we don’t have a lot of money but we try to offer our youngsters quality coaching. As a youth academy on the Island, we’re second to none.”Eve was part of Bermuda’s Under-17 national team which played in World Cup qualifiers in Trinidad last summer.