Leeds United reveal 'aggressive' challenge posed by Man Utd and Man City as youngster's contract details discussed

The club's chief executive, speaking on The Square Ball Podcast, said that Leeds' catchment area is being encroached upon by the likes of the two Manchester clubs, who boast almost two full squads worth of young players who still currently live closer to Leeds than the academies they represent.

In a discussion regarding Archie Gray's contract renegotiations back in January, Kinnear explained it is difficult for a club in the Championship like Leeds to compete financially - or even in a sporting and career path sense - with the might of English football's top clubs.

He used the example of Man City teenager Finlay Gorman, who joined the Etihad club last season before the point at which he would have been allowed to sign a professional contract with Leeds.

"The other player, slightly younger, someone like Finlay Gorman, we matched the financial offer, come up with his contractual terms but he didn't have the relationship with the club Archie Gray had and so he left," Kinnear said.

"We look at those academy players, we think - I can't remember the precise numbers - we think there's 39 players in the Manchester United academy or Manchester City academy who live in a Yorkshire postcode, so you have this hugely aggressive recruitment drive from two of the biggest clubs in world football right into our heartland where we've developed so much great talent over the years.

"So, we're not in a strong position when it comes to negotiating with these players, we have to see to their demands and create a career path and sign contracts that are going to facilitate the career path they want."

Leeds' Thorp Arch academy has produced a number of top-level players in recent years, namely Lewis Cook, Kalvin Phillips and Archie Gray, but is up against the financial terms and potentially superior pathways offered by elite sides such as Man United and Man City.

This continues to be a challenge for the club in their recruitment, or in Gorman's case retention, of teenagers who demonstrate high-potential at an early age.