Leeds United youngster Mateo Joseph could be in line for an England Under-20s call-up, according to reports in Spain. Joseph has starred for the Whites’ U21s side this season and he was rewarded for his efforts with a first-team debut last week in the Carabao Cup.
The 19-year-old started for United against Wolves at Molineux and performed well, despite Leeds being knocked out of the competition by a late goal. His display was enough to see him named on the bench on Saturday at Tottenham Hotspur and he was handed a Premier League debut as Jesse Marsch looked his way with a minute remaining.
Ultimately, he could little to alter the result in north London, but his appearance in the side ought to have spurred him on as he prepares himself for the second half of the season. Joseph has bagged 12 goals this season for Leeds’ youth side and he is currently the Premier League 2’s top scorer.
He’ll be keen to build on his progress over the next few months and establish himself within the first-team ranks in the new year. According to a report in AS, though, his performances have not gone unnoticed, with members of the Three Lions coaching staff keeping tabs on him.
Joseph was born in Spain and grew up in the country, making his way through the youth systems of Racing Santander and Espanyol before making the move to Elland Road in January 2022. However, while his mother is Spanish, he has an English father and that makes him eligible to represent England should the call come.
The striker is also able to represent Antigua and Barbuda through family heritage. He hasn’t received an international call-up of any kind just yet, but the report claims England are showing an interest with next year's U20 World Cup in Indonesia in mind, and Leeds are reportedly expecting a phone call.
Joseph won’t be the only Leeds man U20s boss Ian Foster will be watching closely, with Sonny Perkins and Darko Gyabi already well-known on the international scene. Perkins and Gyabi were called up to represent the U19s in September, with Perkins bagging five goals in three games and Gyabi taking the captain’s armband.
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