Leeds United defender Tom Pearce pens new deal at Elland Road

The left-back, who is preparing for the final of the Toulon Tournament in France on Saturday, has accepted improved terms at Elland Road three weeks before the expiry of his previous contract.

Pearce was in a position to move on for a compensation fee next month after Leeds allowed his old deal to run down. United would have been entitled to a fee with Pearce being under the age of 24.

The 20-year-old signed a 12-month contract last June, a year after first receiving professional terms, but was in line to leave the club until he broke into United’s first team towards the end of the Championship season.

Leeds’ academy staff had initially decided to release Pearce at the end of his contract but the defender forced his way back into their plans with five senior appearances during the final two months of the term.

Former head coach Paul Heckingbottom - sacked by Leeds last week - handed him his debut in a 2-1 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in March and Pearce finished the season in the left-back role.

His form attracted the interest of Premier League sides Bournemouth and Crystal Palace and both clubs are continuing to monitor him, despite Pearce tying himself to Leeds until 2022.

The youngster’s stock rose further last month when he was called up to the England Under-21 squad for the Toulon Tournament. England, whose squad also includes United midfield Ronaldo Vieira, will play Mexico in the final tomorrow evening after a semi-final victory over Scotland on Wednesday.

Pearce has been at Leeds since leaving Everton’s academy at the age of 16. He played regularly for the club’s Under-23s this season and scored his first senior goal on his third first-team appearance, at home to Barnsley on April 21.

The left-back position at Elland Road is wide open following Laurens De Bock’s failure to settle quickly on the back of a £1.5m move from Club Brugge in January.

United handed De Bock a long contract to 2022 but the Belgian struggled to adapt to the Championship and was dropped after seven appearances. He suffered a hamstring strain in April but will be fit to start pre-season with the rest of Leeds’ players on June 25.

Vurnon Anita, the former Newcastle United midfielder, was also tried at left-back without success and Leeds plan to move the Dutchman on once he recovers fully from recent ankle surgery. Anita is 12 months into a three-year deal but appears to have played his last game for the club.