New year boost for Mallik Wilks as young forward signs new deal with Leeds United

Academy product Wilks will now head back out on loan to Doncaster Rovers until the end of the season.

Wilks, 20, made his Leeds debut in the FA Cup fourth round loss at Sutton United back in January 2017 as a second-half substitute in a 1-0 defeat.

After signing a new 12-month extension to his Whites contract - keeping him at the club until the end of the 2018-19 campaign - the forward then spent the first half of last season on loan at eventual champions Accrington in League Two, making 24 appearances and scoring five goals.

After returning to Leeds, the Whites Academy graduate then spent the remainder of the season back on loan at League Two side Grimsby Town, for whom he featured six times.

Wilks was then sent on a six-month loan to League One outfit Doncaster last July and the forward has continued to impress, having already made 30 appearances and netting eight times.

Wilks made his Leeds debut on Sunday, January 29, 2017 - despite his brother Raheem Wilks being shot dead at a barber's shop in Leeds three days earlier, insisting that he still wanted to be a part of the match-day squad under then head coach Garry Monk.

Three men were given life sentences over Raheem Wilks' killing.

Wilks himself will go on trial later this year accused of assault and violent disorder.

Wilks appeared at Leeds Crown Court in November where he pleaded not guilty to two offences relating to an alleged incident at the Leeds West Indian Carnival in August 2017.

The footballer denies one charge of violent disorder and another of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Judge Christopher Batty has given the footballer unconditional bail and the forward will go on trial at Leeds Crown Court on July 1.

Wilks appeared before Leeds Magistrates’ Court on October 24.

On that occasion, prosecutor Maggie Cavanagh said the assault charge arises out of the “carnival in Chapeltown” in which a man sustained “quite serious injuries”.