Soccer Football - FA Cup Third Round - West Ham United v Leeds United - London Stadium, London, Britain - January 9, 2022 West Ham United's Ben Johnson in action with Leeds United's Lewis Bate Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley
Lewis Bate is set to follow the likes of Jamie Shackleton and Ian Poveda out of the Leeds United exit door this summer, reports Joe Donnohue.
The Lowdown: Busy summer
Jesse Marsch, along with Victor Orta, has been hard at work all summer, rebuilding the Whites’ squad with six exciting new signings.
Brenden Aaronson, Luis Sinisterra, Tyler Adams, Rasmus Kristensen, Marc Roca and Darko Gyabi have all arrived, but of course, their presence requires spaces to be cleared within the squad.
Alongside the high-profile exits of Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips, Marsch and Orta are also hard at work finding homes for many of the club’s young players, and Bate now looks set to venture away from the Premier League in search of regular first-team football.
The Latest: Another exit
According to Donnohue, Bate, who has one very important admirer in the shape of Andrea Radrizzani, ‘could be the next LUFC youngster heading on loan after Shackleton’, with interest from multiple League One clubs.
‘Understand the reason he didn’t go on tour is due to (the) loan interest,’ the Yorkshire Evening Post reporter writes.
Ian Poveda is also expected to depart, with the club reportedly willing to listen to loan and/or permanent offers for the former Manchester City talent.
The Verdict: Great decision
With the arrivals of Gyabi, Roca and Adams more than filling the void left by Phillips, the decision to send Bates out into the big bad world of lower-league football is certainly a good one.
At 19, the midfielder has already paid his dues in underage football, racking up 57 appearances for Chelsea’s various youth sides and a further 23 while at Leeds, popping up in the Whites’ first-team just four times, per Transfermarkt.
Likened to a young Jack Wilshere and hailed by Jermaine Beckford for his ability to control the ball in tight spaces, spray passes around and drive forward with the ball, if Bate can display all of these skills on a consistent basis in League One there is no reason he cannot be a part of Marsch’s plans from 2023/24.
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