Marcelo Bielsa has done a lot of good things for Leeds United since arriving – he’s led them to the top of the table, taught them the value of football, demonstrated how passionate fans are and, most importantly, instilled a sense of pride back in the club.
Whether it be intentional or not, another thing he’s done is introduce a number of young talents to the first-team. With so many injuries hitting the squad, we’ve seen the likes of Tyler Roberts, Ryan Edmondson and Tom Pearce all donning the white, yellow and blue of Leeds United at some point this season. And it can only be a good thing for the club.
Here are two players in the Leeds youth setup who are really shaping up to be quality players in the future…
Jack Clarke
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URIgqJ3GMwA
17-year-old Jack Clarke is one of the brightest Leeds United talents in some years.
Just last season Clarke netted himself 15 goals over two age brackets, and he’s been rewarded this term with three appearances in the Championship.
His performance against Brentford was particularly memorable. He entered the game under stressful conditions with 20 minutes to go and managed it perfectly, operating with the maturity and composure of a player way beyond his years.
He’s got excellent feet and ability on the ball, and is typically pacey in the forward positions. Expect Clarke to be breaking through very soon.
Oriol Rey
Oriol Rey is quite a recent acquisition at the Leeds United youth academy having been transferred in from Barcelona’s infamous La Masia academy in 2017.
Indeed, during his debut season, Rey was one of the finest performers for the club’s under-23s squad.
Playing in both defence and midfield, the Spaniard’s versatility would have been quite useful this season, for Bielsa, if he hadn’t been loaned out to Spanish second division side UB Conquense.
He’s picking up a lot of minutes in the first-team over in Spain, and despite the quality lagging behind that of the Championship, it will prove to be invaluable experience.
