Leeds United will be braced for a summer exodus following their relegation from the Premier League last month. Changes would have been made this summer regardless, but dropping out of the top tier is expected to bring about major squad upheaval over the summer.
Key men, particularly those who are high earners, will leave the club and that could open the door for youngsters to step up and fill in the gaps. The Whites are extremely proud of their youth set up and having seen their U21s win promotion back to the top flight of English youth football last month, they will have high hopes that a number of players could step up to fill first-team roles in the second tier.
Here’s a look at five who might have roles to play for Leeds in the Championship.
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Mateo Joseph
Having scored 17 goals in all competitions for the U21s this season, Joseph is surely one of the outstanding candidates to move up to the first-team on a regular basis this summer. The striker really caught the eye with his performances, enjoying prolific spells in front of goal and notching three hat-tricks to help the Whites to Premier League 2 promotion via the play-offs.
His form saw him represent England at the U20s World Cup at the end of the season and he managed to make three brief appearances for the first-team, too, with his debut coming in the 4-3 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in November. That first-team experience will surely stand him in good stead when it comes to his development and he’ll be approaching the new season with the bit between his teeth as he looks to establish himself in the first-team picture.
There are plenty of unknowns, of course, namely who will be in charge come the start of pre-season. But, it could be a key summer for the Spanish-born forward as he looks to get his foot in the door. He’s shown he’s ready to make the step up to men’s football and at the age of 19, another season of youth football might not be seen as beneficial.
Leo Hjelde
Before the start of the season, Hjelde was probably slightly ahead of the other players on this list. The Norwegian youth international was included on the club’s pre-season tour of Australia and he was named on the bench in five of the Whites’ first six Premier League games as he worked towards a breakthrough.
That chance never came under Jesse Marsch and he was loaned to Rotherham United in January until the end of the season. Hjelde earned rave reviews for his performances in South Yorkshire, making the left-back spot his own for a period and helping the club out of the mire of a relegation battle at the bottom of the table.
He made 13 appearances for the Millers in the Championship, showing he’s more than capable of performing at that level and he’ll be keen to take the next step in his career this time around by earning himself regular chances in the senior side at Elland Road. He’s still only 19 and his versatility, being able to play either at left-back or centre-back might just play into his hands.
Archie Gray
The 2022-23 season was a challenging one for Gray, from a personal point of view. He may have helped the U21s to Premier League 2 promotion, but he struggled with injuries and his game time was severely restricted as a result, making just 10 appearances for the youth side.
However, he still managed to impress Leeds’ head coaches this season with Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce taking the opportunity to name him on the first-team bench in the Premier League. He’s still only 17 years old and given he has plenty of room to grow he shouldn’t be in too much of a rush to make it at a senior level.
But, his talent suggests he ought to be included within the ranks this pre-season and if he catches the eye, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be considered to be a first-team player. With midfielders expected to leave the club, too, there might be openings for him to take.
Sonny Perkins
It’s fair to say Perkins enjoyed himself during his first season with the Whites, having made the summer move from West Ham United. The striker hit the ground running and found himself hitting the back of the net in his first seven games for the Whites’ youth side.
His form helped the Whites to an unbeaten start to the season and it also persuaded Marsch to give him the opportunity at first-team level, with chances coming at Wolves and Cardiff City in the cup competitions. He scored his first senior goal in the latter of those two senior outings, too, poking the ball home late to snatch a draw in South Wales and keep Leeds’ FA Cup dreams alive.
Perkins went on to bag 13 goals in 25 games across both levels for the Whites to establish himself as one of the brightest young talents at the club and while he might face internal competition from Joseph for a senior chance, he will fancy his chances.
Darko Gyabi
Like Perkins, this was Gyabi’s first season at Elland Road and it’s not hard to see why the club pushed to take him from Manchester City last summer. The midfielder oozes class and his performances in the middle of the park have been absolutely critical to the young Whites’ success this season.
He’s physically dominant, quick on the turn and his ability with the ball at his feet was simply too much for some youth teams to cope with this season. Gyabi, who has been with England U20s this summer, made his senior debut back in December against his old club.
As mentioned with Gray, there are question marks regarding several first-team midfielders already this summer and Leeds might find themselves backing their more than-able youngsters to make the step up.
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