Alfie McCalmont has left his Leeds United teammates baffled after producing a string of goals on loan at Oldham Athletic, speaking to the Oldham Times.
A short-term spell in League Two may be the making of this classy Northern Ireland international.
Eyebrows were raised last summer when McCalmont opted to join a club in the fourth tier of English football, with some feeling he had the ability to play at a far higher level.
But, with the 21-year-old playmaker producing stand-out performances on a regular basis, McCalmont has no regrets about his decision to sign on at Boundary Park.
The Thirsk-born prospect has even scored nine times in Oldham colours, finding the net once more with a brilliantly taken goal in Saturday’s 5-2 thrashing of Colchester United.
It’s an especially impressive tally when you consider McCalmont was viewed as more of a creator than a finisher in West Yorkshire.
“I wasn’t really renowned for scoring a lot of goals,” McCalmont admits. “Obviously, I’ve tried to push a bit further forward and get into goalscoring positions. I’ve got there and put a few in the back of the net.
“The lads at Leeds are asking how I’m getting all these goals!
“It has been a long season but I’ve learned a lot. I love being here. Coming here is one of the best things I’ve done because it has really helped me kick on and now I can look forward to the future and see what that holds.”
It’s no secret McCalmont has a lot of admirers at Elland Road, with Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa a big fan of a tidy, technically gifted midfielder who fits nicely into that famously freewheeling style.
A new-found scoring streak will do his hopes of a future in the Premier League no harm at all.
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