Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa has promoted teenage duo Callum Nicell and Robbie Gotts to first team training at Thorp Arch as he continues to look for future talents, according to reliable journalist Phil Hay.
The Yorkshire Evening Post writer, one of the most reputed reporters covering events at Elland Road, states in his column for the newspaper that the 19-year-old pair have followed in the footsteps of the likes of Jamie Shackleton and Leif Davis, both who have been included in match day squads this season, by joining the senior outfit on the training pitch.
Nicell is a central midfielder and a Republic of Ireland under-19 international, while Gotts, born in nearby Harrogate, is a right sided winger and neither have been seen among a first team side yet.
Opinion
Leeds have established a reputation of developing young talent into first team stars, so are these going to be the next big things at Elland Road? At 19-years-old they are not exactly prodigal talents like Jack Clarke but still very much developing starlets and ones who, under Marcelo Bielsa’s tutelage, can become regular members of the first team squad. It seems odd though that the Argentine manager has chosen to promote a central midfielder and a winger up to the senior side, when neither are positions where he is lacking in options. Is he simply getting a good look at where they stand as potential stars, or does he feel they actually have something to offer the side? Only Bielsa – and maybe his backroom staff – knows his true intents but either way it is still another exciting step forward not only for the players but the Elland Road faithful, who love nothing more to see a youngster come through the youth system and make his name in the first team. Bielsa has already given plenty of opportunities to emerging talents, so the duo should be confident that if they prove themselves on the training ground their time will come.