Despite not making a single appearance for Leeds United’s first team, Max Dean is actually one of the most successful players to come out of that U21s side.
Dean played alongside the likes of Crysencio Summerville, Archie Gray, Joe Gelhardt, Sam Greenwood among many others during his time at Leeds, but is one of only a few that has had to go back to come forwards again.
With Summerville and Archie Gray now at established Premier League clubs, they are undoubtedly the biggest successes out of Leeds’ academy in recent years.
Further down the pyramid, the likes of Gelhardt, Greenwood, Cody Drameh and Leo Hjelde are all now plying their trade in the Championship, but it is in Europe where Dean is ripping it up.
After scoring 19 goals for MK Dons in his first full career in senior football, Dean earned himself a move to Belgian first division side Gent.
Dean has scored seven times in all competitions for his new club, and even registered an assist in a Europa Conference League match away at Chelsea last month, showing how far he has come.
Dean makes Mateo Joseph prediction at Leeds
Unfortunately for Dean, he never got a chance at Leeds due to the number of players ahead of him in his position. It is a testament to him that he went out and played as early as he did.
During the latter stages of his time at Elland Road, among the players ahead of him in his position was Mateo Joseph, who has enjoyed a breakthrough year for Leeds and Spain U21s.
Gelhardt and Greenwood were always the strikers winning the headlines for Leeds’ U21s, but with all three still on the books in West Yorkshire, it is only Joseph who looks as though he could be a real success.
However, speaking in an interview with the Yorkshire Evening Post, Dean has tipped all three to go on and enjoy ‘unbelievable’ careers, and is glad he got the chance to play with them.
He said: “When I was at Leeds, I was competing with Joffy [Gelhardt] and Sam [Greenwood] who are unbelievable players, aren’t they? And then Mateo [Joseph] came in.
“They’re already doing unbelievable but the careers they’re going to have when they’ve finished, I can say I had to compete with them players. I’ve always had strong competition and I’ve got good relationships with all three of them.”
Dean expresses gratitude for Leeds spell
Dean’s former coach at Leeds Mark Jackson was actually the man to sign him at MK Dons and give him his first real chance in senior football.
Also in the same interview, Dean expressed how grateful he is to both Jackson and Leeds as a whole for the position he finds himself in today.
He said: “Taking me to MK was a big risk because I was 18 at the time, in a relegation fight but he [Jackson] gave me them chances. What you see is what you get with him, he’s a top guy, top coach, he’ll tell you off when you need it but put an arm around your shoulder as well.
“I think it was the right time for me to go. I wanted to go myself, to play first-team football. I had to get out and obviously with six months left on my deal, it had to be a permanent move.
“I loved my time at Leeds. Without Leeds, I know I wouldn’t have made it as a professional footballer, so I love the club today, I love the club to bits but I had to go and play football. I didn’t want to be 20, 21 still knocking round in the 23s team. I knew I had to get out and play.”
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