The Under-21 team of Leeds United will require reinforcements in the upcoming summer. Leeds under Victor Orta gave academy recruitment a lot of attention. players like Crysencio Summerville, Joe Gelhardt, Sam Greenwood, and Leo Hjelde joined the first team after starting out with the U23s.
Even though only Summerville from that group of young players has truly gone on to establish himself at Elland Road, it demonstrates how effective that approach can be provided that recruitment and development are done correctly.
The 49ers are undoubtedly aware that the U21 team is currently looking the weakest it has in a while because Leeds, regrettably, has not quite gotten the latter right in recent years.
In light of this, the Daily Record claims that Leeds is one of several English teams that have been watching Bobby Wales, a striker for Kilmarnock, while he is on loan at Alloa this season.
Leeds scouting Scottish youngster Wales
Wales has seven goals in his last eight Scottish League One appearances. Other teams that have looked at him include Stoke City and Ipswich Town. Wales has a respectable senior football background, having already made ten appearances for Kilmarnock’s first squad.
Leeds have used the Scottish market before to strengthen at youth level, bringing in Stuart McKinstry from Motherwell back in 2019, and most recently Lewis Pirie from Aberdeen last summer.
Since Wales is older and currently plays for Leeds in the U18s, Pirie is more likely to join the U21s lineup if Wales moves to Elland Road. Leeds has, of course, only been looking at this point for the time being, but hopefully this indicates that they intend to return to building the academy in the future.