Leeds United and Aston Villa linked with wonderkid as Championship trio 'race' for former Elland Road man

Leeds United have a busy week ahead with two long trips to Championship promotion rivals in five days. Daniel Farke’s men swept aside Coventry City on Saturday, with a 3-0 home win coming thanks to goals from Willy Gnonto, Jayden Bogle and Joel Piroe, and can now turn focus onto Norwich City at Carrow Road tomorrow before heading to Sunderland on Friday.

This week kicked off with the worst possible news for Leeds, with Farke confirming captain Ethan Ampadu won’t play again this year after suffering a knee ligament injury against Coventry. He is joined in the treatment room by four other first-team players with all unavailable to face Norwich. With all that in mind, the YEP has rounded up some of the latest stories surrounding the club.

Teenage star eyed

Leeds are thought to be keeping a close eye on the development of Bristol Rovers youngster Kofi Shaw. Journalist Alan Nixon names the Whites alongside Aston Villa in ‘liking the look’ of the 17-year-old who is enjoying an early breakthrough into first-team football.

Shaw made his first-team debut for Bristol Rovers last season and has four appearances across all competitions to his name so far this campaign, scoring his first senior goal in the 3-3 EFL Trophy draw against Tottenham Hotspur under-21s last month. The teenager was labelled as Rovers’ ‘best player’ by manager Matt Taylor after that game is thought to be on the radar of several top clubs.

Leeds and Villa are thought to be keeping tabs on the right-winger, who decided to stick with League One Rovers despite proposals from top-tier clubs to pull him from their academy. There is no suggestion that Elland Road recruitment chiefs are weighing up any kind of imminent move.

Leeds face another key season, so get closer to the action with our new newsletter - Inside Elland Road with Graham Smyth

O'Connor interest

A trio of Championship clubs are reportedly ‘plotting’ a move for former Leeds defender Paudie O’Connor, who is currently plying his trade at Lincoln City. Football Insider claim Blackburn Rovers, Preston North End and Oxford United are all weighing up a January approach for the 27-year-old, whose contract at Lincoln expires next summer.

O’Connor has established himself as one of the best defenders in League One, playing regularly at third-place Lincoln under former Leeds academy coach and interim boss Michael Skubala. The centre-back already has two goals and two assists to his name in just six league appearances this season, a start which has piqued the interest of second-tier suitors.

The Imps will be left with a decision to make on O’Connor, who managed just four appearances for Leeds during the 2017/18 campaign before moves to Blackpool, Bradford City and then Lincoln. And the experienced defender could end up facing Leeds if a move to the Championship materialises.