Leeds United have already lost one of their most talented youngsters in Finley Gorman to Manchester City, and now Premier League powerhouses Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle want another.
The Whites have always been renowned for having one of the best academies in the country and after a bit of a dry spell, are starting to produce a number of big talents.
Kalvin Phillips is arguably the biggest name to come out of Thorp Arch over the last few years having gone onto win a treble with Manchester City, and represent England numerous times.
Currently, Archie Gray is the man flying the flag for Leeds’ academy having made his breakthrough this season, after being on the bench for the first team at just 15.
His brother Harry, who was on the same team as Gorman before moving to Man City, is also really highly thought of, with Archie even telling Patrick Bamford he is better than him.
Charlie Crew is another midfielder who could make it at Elland Road in the next couple of years, but according to talkSPORT, Tottenham and Newcastle have been looking at another one.
Tottenham and Newcastle eyeing move for 16-year-old Leeds talent
Writing in their latest transfer notebook earlier today, talkSPORT claim that 16-year-old Ollie Pickles is already attracting admiring glances from the two Premier League sides.
The report states that Pickles is already being compared to the aforementioned Phillips due to his composure on the ball, and range of passing.
It is said that ‘club insiders’ at Leeds view Pickles as the next young talent to be fast-tracked into the first-team, but clearly that will require them fending off competition from elsewhere.
Both Spurs and Newcastle are thought to have been impressed with that they have seen from Pickles in Leeds U18’s run to the FA Youth Cup semi-finals this season.
It remains to be seen whether either decide to make a move for Pickles, but the fact they are already looking would suggest Leeds need to be quick in agreeing a contract with him.
Pickles should follow Gray example at Leeds
Gray’s emergence at Leeds this season as just a 17-year-old should be an example to all players at the academy that it is possible to make it at Elland Road.
Of course, there are plenty of talented youngsters who Leeds have failed in terms of their development, but if you are good enough, there will be opportunities.
Nobody can really begrudge Gorman for opting to move to City after the opportunity arose, but there is no doubt it will take him longer to play first-team football there, than it would if he stayed at Leeds.
If Pickles is as good as this report suggests he is, then hopefully it is at Leeds where he develops and makes his breakthrough.
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