The future looks bright indeed at Leeds United, Harry Gray capping a fairytale week with the winning goal in the National League Cup final victory over Sutton on Tuesday night.
A trademark finish from a 16-year-old centre-forward with immense potential.
Daniel Farke says Harry Gray is an ‘important’ part of Leeds United’s long-term plans. Continue to develop at his current rate, however, and the fourth-youngest debutant in the club’s history could be making waves in the first-team faster than anyone would have expected 12 months ago.
Gray has been likened to a young Harry Kane and a pre-Ballon D’Or Michael Owen, amongst others. Both England greats would have been proud of the way the younger brother of Arche lifted his far-post finish into the roof of the net, over an advancing Sutton goalkeeper.
At the other end of the pitch, a back three of James Debayo, Kristan Moore and first-half goalscorer Diogo Monteiro – marshalled by goalkeeper Rory Mahady – stood strong. A late consolation from the home side was the closest Sutton came to cancelling out that two-goal advantage.
But with Debayo and Portugal Under-21 international Monteiro looking to make the step up to first-team level next term – and as Crewe Alexandra look to take Kristan Moore away from Thorp Arch – the task may soon fall to Leonard Ngenge to pick up where the current crop of central defenders left off.
Nigeria starlet Leonard Ngenge is set to join Leeds United
Leeds United have agreed to sign Leonard Ngenge from Nigerian outfit Ikorodu City FC.
“Ngenge has an existing deal with Leeds United. It’s a pre-contract,” Wale Quadri, Ikorodu City’s sporting director, told reporters in March. “By August, [when he turns 18] he should be joining Leeds.
“He was scouted in Nigeria and then invited to Leeds for further training.
“He came back like two weeks ago from Leeds. His second visit to Leeds. He is being signed as a player for the future.”
One ‘for the future’ he may be, but Ngenge has made a pretty seamless transition to senior football over in Nigeria. The teenager has featured in 23 league matches this season.
And, while more renowned for his defensive qualities, Ngenge showcased serious ball-carrying talents with a quite brilliant assist in the recent 1-0 win over Lobi Stars.
Daniel Farke wants his defender to be able to break the lines and add to Leeds’ possession play. Clearly, Ngenge possesses the sort of confidence and technique the German looks for in centre-halves, even if he is likely to represent Scott Gardner’s Under-21 side initially in West Yorkshire.
Ngenge reacts as Harry Gray fires Leeds to National League Cup triumph
Ngenge has already posted a photo of himself in a Leeds United shirt on his official Instagram account. He did not miss the chance to congratulate his new teammates either, re-posting a photo of Alfie Cresswell lifting the National League Cup amongst a backdrop of fireworks and flares.
Gardner, the Luxembourg-born coach who got the Under-21 gig after Michael Skubala left for Lincoln, will therefore be handed the task of developing Ngenge’s considerable potential from the summer onwards.
“Immensely proud,” Gardner told LUTV after Leeds secured the first National League Cup title since the tournament was halted back in 2009. “I think they deserved it, not just in the game but the competition itself.
“We have showcased what the club is about, and to see our players in front of the [away] fans at the end… Yeah, really proud.
“I say this every week but we’ve shown we’ve got a bit of everything. We can play, we had a couple of chances where we should have buried the game. When the goal went in, unbelievable composure not to panic.
“They had a lot of the ball towards the end but I don’t think there was any big opportunities I think we deserved the win.
“[We were playing against] players who played across the whole football pyramid, so an invaluable experience.”
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