Forget Summerville and Gelhardt: Leeds should be excited about another emerging gem – Our View

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Leeds United may not be having the best start to the season, but one thing that the Elland Road faithful have to be excited about is the young stars coming through in West Yorkshire.

The Whites’ U23 side have promised to produce a golden generation for some time now, and now it seems as though the club are benefitting from their investment in youth.

Indeed, we’ve already seen the likes of Joe Gelhardt and Crysencio Summerville debut this term, but perhaps the most exciting debutant this season is Stuart McKinstry.

McKinstry looks ready to rise through the ranks at Elland Road rather quickly. The winger has gone from strength to strength. since joining Leeds in 2019. He quickly made the jump from U18s football to the U23s despite being just 16 at the beginning of that season.

The decision to quickly promote McKinstry to the U23s was reportedly a call made by Marcelo Biesla, so it’s clear that the Leeds boss does rate the former Motherwell man.

He was an excellent addition to the U23s as well, netting two goals in seven appearances while working under Carlos Corberan that term.

McKinstry was eventually given a bigger role in the U23s under Mark Jackson, and he’s flourished as the Whites won their PL2 division last season.

McKinstry looks like your typical Bielsa winger, he’s a pacy player who can operate brilliantly in tight spaces, but perhaps more importantly, he understands what it means to play for Leeds United.

Indeed, throughout Leeds’ storied history, their best players haven’t always been the most stylish or the most talented, but the most passionate and determined.

One moment from McKinstry’s debut perfectly highlighted that. After Leeds won their penalty shootout against Fulham. Most of the team ran towards Illan Meslier to celebrate the Frenchman’s heroics, but McKinstry went against the grain, running in the opposite direction towards the away end to celebrate with his fans.

McKinstry may be a boyhood Motherwell fan, but he seems to be relishing life at Leeds and he seems to be genuinely passionate about this club and the fans, and that bodes well for his future at Elland Road.

Gelhardt and Summerville have been touted as the two most exciting debutants at Leeds this term, but McKinstry could go on to become equally as brilliant.