Leeds United confirm new defender deal as former star returns to academy role

Leeds United have confirmed they have handed a first professional deal to highly-rated academy star Louie Dudley.

The 17-year-old was a regular in the Whites Under-18s side over the last two years and progressed to Under-21s level last season as he featured against the likes of Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest in Premier League 2 fixtures and he has continued to impress during the opening months of the current campaign.

The versatile right-back has started every league fixture for the Whites second string as they have claimed ten points from their opening five games and also featured in Vertu Trophy fixtures with EFL opposition in the form of Port Vale and Fleetwood Town.

A club statement released on Wednesday read: “Leeds United are pleased to announce Academy defender Louie Dudley has put pen to paper on a first professional contract with the club. The highly rated full-back has signed a two-year deal, keeping him with the Whites until 2027 as he continues his development at Thorp Arch.

“The 17-year-old has impressed so far this campaign for Scott Gardner’s Under-21s side, starting in all six Premier League 2 clashes to date and scoring at Turf Moor against Burnley. Dudley has also gained further experience against senior opposition in both the Vertu Trophy and National League Cup, as well as featuring in the Premier League International Cup against Sporting CP B. Everyone at Leeds United would like to congratulate Louie on signing a professional contract and we look forward to seeing his continued development.”

Whites youngsters praised by EFL boss

Leeds United Under-21s suffered a 4-0 defeat at League Two club Fleetwood Town on Tuesday night that has left the Whites youngsters up against it as they look to progress in the Vertu Trophy.

After falling to a 4-1 loss at Port Vale in their opening group stage fixture in the competition last month, Scott Gardner’s side emerged empty-handed from their trip to Fleetwood as a James Norwood hat-trick and a Will Davies effort condemned them to a heavy defeat against Pete Wild’s men.

However, the Fleetwood boss admitted he had been impressed with what he had witnessed from the Whites and revealed he has ‘no doubts’ a number of them will go on to have ‘top careers’.

He told the club website: “We went after a really young Leeds team; they were really young tonight. And I thought the movements they had and the way they tried to hurt us was excellent. They have some top young players and I have no doubts that quite a lot of them will have top careers.

 “And hopefully, it was a good experience for them tonight, regarding what professional football is like, what it is like in the league for them. It has a lots of benefits this competition, that being one of them tonight.”

Former Leeds United winger lands academy role

Former Leeds United star Aaron Lennon has reportedly return to the Whites academy.

Leeds Live have claimed the former Whites winger has returned to his boyhood club and is working as a coach with the Under-18s after first working in the same role earlier this year. Lennon broke through the Leeds academy setup and made his senior debut at the age of just 16 years and 129 days as a substitute in a 2-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur in August 2003, setting a new Premier League record in the process.

Leeds’ financial problems forced Lennon’s departure to Spurs during the summer of 2005 and he went on to feature for the likes of Everton, Burnley and Turkish club Kayserispor before bring down the curtain on his playing career three years ago.

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