Eagles legend and ambassador Mark Bright will be in India next month looking for the next star to join the Crystal Palace Academy.

A Palace delegation, led by former striker Bright, will be at Barclays Premier League Live, the Premier League’s international fan park in Mumbai.

Palace have teamed up with Mumbai City FC and Star Sports to stage a trial for the best 16 to 19 -year-olds in the region.

The 12 most promising youngsters will then be invited to show their skills at the weekend event in front of thousands of spectators.

Bright said: "This will be the chance of a lifetime. The winner of the competition will get a fantastic experience playing at the Academy and then go back to India to become an ambassador for Palace.

“This is a unique initiative. Everyone has a favourite local team and favourite overseas team – we want football fans in India to follow us."

He added: “We know cricket is the number one sport in India, but football is global and it would be great to see an Indian-born player in the Premier League one day. They would become an idol and an inspiration."

The winner of the Play for Palace competition will come to London to train with the club’s hottest young prospects.

The Crystal Palace Academy has a long tradition of developing young talent – former Academy members include Premier League stars Victor Moses, Wilfred Zaha, Nathaniel Clyne and Wayne Routledge.

The CPFC Foundation team is also holding two days of coaching sessions for youngsters aged 12-16 at two local schools, led by UEFA ‘A’ Licence coach Gary Mulcahey, and in partnership with the Magic Bus charity.

Palace’s initiative is part of a long-term plan to build lasting relationships in Mumbai and improve footballing standards in the region.

The club has strong roots in south London but has a global following and recognises that football is becoming increasingly popular in India with the launch of the Indian Super League.

A Mumbai City spokesman said: “India, and Mumbai in particular, has a lot of football talent waiting to be harnessed and promoted. This initiative will provide a great platform for the youth of the city to showcase their skills and win the opportunity of a lifetime”.