York’s Steve Torpey keen to see Leeds United loan out Ryan Edmondson

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Leeds United striker Ryan Edmondson has shown some potential.

York City youth coach Steve Torpey has told the Yorkshire Evening Post that Leeds United beat two Premier League clubs to sign striker Ryan Edmondson in 2017 – but now may need to loan him out.

Leeds swooped to land Edmondson from York two years ago, having already made his non-league debut at the age of just 16 years and 140 days.

The striker has been working in the Leeds development ranks since making his short move to Elland Road, and he already has two Championship appearances to his name.

Edmondson has been touted for a bright future with Leeds, but he’s now at an interesting point in his career with the Whites.

Having played development football for well over a year now, and doesn’t appear to be any closer to playing regularly for Marcelo Bielsa’s first team, which is fair given that they’re hoping for promotion to the Premier League.

Bielsa wouldn’t be against using Edmondson given his usual stance on youth prospects, but a loan move may now be the best move forward for the young target man.

Now, his former York youth coach Torpey has admitted that he thinks Edmondson needs senior football now, rather than sitting and waiting for his chance at Elland Road.

Torpey claims that Leeds beat Premier League duo Burnley and Leicester City to Edmondson, but must now decide whether he’ll play first-team football – and if the answer is no, they need to get him out on loan.

“There were scouts at our games every week from clubs at higher levels,” said Torpey. “I know Burnley were quite keen on him, I think Leicester were as well but Leeds were the ones who made that commitment and made an offer.”

“He’s at that age where he needs to sample men’s football and if that’s at Leeds, brilliant. If the manager sees him of that calibre and he can be in and around the first team, fantastic. But I think he probably needs, in my humble opinion, to go and play senior football. With the 23s, where he’s scored lots of goals and done really well, is it the same as playing senior football in the League or even at the Conference level? Probably not, especially with the physicality he’s going to come across in the Championship. It’s a real good standard, the Championship, and to play at that level at 18, 19 would be a massive achievement. If not, I think he probably needs to go and play first-team football at whatever level his coaches decide,” he added.