Former Leeds United youngster excelling after continental transfer as European dream within touching distance
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Leeds were in receipt of a favourable sell-on in the deal which took him from the League Two club to Belgium's top flight.
The 20-year-old moved for a reported £1.7 million last month, up to half of which was due to Leeds owing to the clause agreed with MK Dons at the time he arrived at Stadium:mk. Dean has found the net in each of his three Gent appearances to date after boasting a good record with United's youth sides, where he scored 16 in 38 PL2 and EFL Trophy matches as well as five in 14 for the Under-18s.
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Hide AdAfter leaving Elland Road to join up with then-head coach Mark Jackson at the Dons, Dean began to excel under new boss Mike Williamson, for whom he helped fire to the League Two play-offs last season. The ex-Leeds academy player scored 19 in all competitions for MK during 2023/24, in addition to a further five assists, which alerted top flight Belgian side Gent.
Since arriving in the country, Dean has featured only in Gent's Europa Conference League qualifiers. After making the bench in the first leg against Icelandic opponents Vikingur, Dean was thrust into the action for his debut during the reverse fixture scoring from the penalty spot and assisting in a 7-1 aggregate victory.
Dean found himself among the goals again in the next qualifying round, scoring in Gent's first leg encounter with Danish club Silkeborg. The youngster's strike came with 92 minutes on the clock, leading the Belgians to believe they had won the opening fixture away from home and had one foot in the next round, however a 95th minute Silkeborg equaliser meant it was all to play for in the second leg.
Dean made his full debut in that particular game, cancelling out Silkeborg's opener with a 38th minute effort, before helping the team to an eventual 3-2 win after extra-time on the night, ensuring Gent qualified for the final play-off round by a 5-4 aggregate scoreline.
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Hide AdHis introduction to life on the continent has been high drama so far with late equalisers in each of Gent's last two European qualifiers. However, Dean's experience could be kicked up a notch after it was revealed Gent's opponents in the Conference League play-off round is none other than Serbian giants Partizan Belgrade, home of some of European football's most fearsome ultras.
Gent travel east for their tie with Partizan next Wednesday, August 22, which could see Dean named in the starting line-up once again after maintaining his 100 per cent scoring record for the third straight match.
Victory over the Serbs would book a place in the Conference League group stage pitting Dean and his teammates against some of European football's more accomplished top flight sides.
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