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Sport
Kyle Newbould

Under-24 player compensation explained as Leeds United set to sign Sonny Perkins on a ‘free’

Leeds United look set to confirm signing number seven in the coming days, according to Fabrizio Romano, after Sonny Perkins completed his medical and signed personal terms with the club. The 18-year-old left West Ham in bitter circumstances in July, with the Hammers releasing a statement expressing their discontent over the player’s decision.

Perkins had been at West Ham since 2019, but only made three senior appearances - one of which was in their 3-2 defeat to Leeds in January. The London club had offered him a new professional deal this summer, but the teenager rejected the offer in a bid for more regular minutes.

He now looks set to sign for Leeds following the end of his contact at the London Stadium, ostensibly on a ‘free’ transfer, although that is not entirely true. The Football League rules state that where a professional player under the age of 24 refuses a new deal in order to move to a different club on a so-called ‘free transfer’ compensation is payable to the club that loses their player.

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