Three youth team players at Leeds United who deserve a first team shot

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The Whites’ impressive youth academy has yet more gems to be discovered.

Sunderland’s Patrick van Aanholt (L) in action with Doncaster Rovers’ Billy Whitehouse

With eight games of the season left to play, Garry Monk’s Leeds United are comfortably sitting fourth in the Championship, and should be at a stage very soon where their play-off spot is confirmed.

If/when this happens, the youth academy at Leeds – which has unearthed several big names in football in the past – has a few more players who are ready to make the step-up. Here are three of them.

Mallik Wilks

The 18-year-old striker, who was born in Leeds, has impressed for both the U18s and the U23s this season, to the point where he was awarded a contract up until the end of the 2018 season, as reports the Leeds United official site. Wilks came on as a substitute against Sutton United in the FA Cup earlier this season, and has clearly caught the eye of Leeds boss Garry Monk. If Leeds secure their play-off spot early, then giving Wilks his league debut while making sure Chris Wood gets a rest would be good management on Monk’s part.

Cambridge United’s Uche Ikpeazu and Leeds’ Tyler Denton appeal

Tyler Denton

The former England U17 international has featured three times for Monk’s Leeds this season, with the 21-year-old left back playing in cup ties against Luton Town, Cambridge United and Sutton. There are high hopes for Denton, who signed a new deal earlier this season as reports BBC Sport, and is represented by former Leeds man Ian Harte, as reports the Yorkshire Post. With Charlie Taylor’s situation ongoing, it would make sense to start blooding Denton in before the season’s end, should Leeds secure a play-off spot.

Billy Whitehouse

Whitehouse has only featured once for Leeds since he made the switch from Doncaster Rovers in the summer, in that FA Cup tie against Sutton, and has been learning a new position in his debut year at Elland Road. At Doncaster, Whitehouse operated as a winger, yet at Leeds in the development squads, Whitehouse has been playing at right back and has clearly been impressing. The versatility Whitehouse offers gives him more of a chance of grabbing his league debut before the season’s end, in what would be a huge moment for the 20-year-old.