By Joe Baker

Earning his first professional contract in 2013, and making a dream debut for his hometown club last season, things could not have turned out better for the then 18 year-old Matt Grimes.

It seems difficult to believe how far the Exeter City youngster has come since then. After making his debut against AFC Wimbledon, his career has whizzed by so quickly that I am sure Usain Bolt would have struggled to keep up.

He won the 2013/14 Player of the Year award at the end of the season, an achievement even by his standards was incredible considering it was his first full campaign. But he is now so popular that his performances have attracted the attention of Premier League clubs Everton and Swansea City, with the latter reported to have agreed a deal with the Grecians for a sum of £1.75 million.

However, Exeter director of football Steve Perryman has insisted that Grimes will not go for a mere shilling's worth: "In a way, you hope that you don't get the call because we are on the move as a team and he is a very important factor in it.

"But from his point of view, you hope you do get the call because you want to see a young player at Exeter improve himself. He would follow in a long line of others, but we will have to wait and see what happens in January. Obviously you wish for as high a figure as you can get, but I have had one or two chats with this. Grimesy is at a certain point in his career where three months later, his valuation is higher than where it was three months previously, so you are slightly worried about pitching it too low."

Perryman says Grimes reminds him of his former Tottenham teammate Glenn Hoddle.

"I don't think I've been excited about a young player, at any club I've been involved with, as I am him. I saw a young Glenn Hoddle emerge and this is another world, but he's a talent," Perryman told BBC Radio Devon.

He is a player that possesses traits similar to Hoddle - elegance, flair and poise just to name a few.

Paul Tisdale, the club's manager has said that Grimes is "the best Exeter prospect in years".

"He definitely has the ability to go up the leagues and play at a very good level.

"I wouldn't like to say at this stage what that will be but, arguably, he's the best young player we've produced at Exeter since I've been here."

It is clear that people who have been fortunate enough to watch him action, understand how much of a prospect Grimes is. The talent is unquestionable and undoubted, but in the near future he has the most important decision - the next path he chooses for his career.

If he chooses right, it could open a whole world of opportunities.