OPINION
The future is looking bright for Leeds, with promotion to the Premier League a very real possibility, and plenty of young players making the leap up to the senior side from the Under-23s.
Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Jack Clarke and Jamie Shackleton have all broken through into the first-team and the next one to make the leap up will surely be Robbie Gotts.
The 19-year-old, who can play at full-back or on the wing, has been winning plaudits for his recent performances for the Under-23s and he’s made the bench in the Championship five times.
Meanwhile, Luke Ayling, despite winning a vote of confidence from manager Marcelo Bielsa, hasn’t been at the races recently and must be looking over his shoulder at the impressive youngster.
Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Joe Urquhart heaped praise on Gotts in the recent episode of the Inside Elland Road podcast (57:05).
“Robbie Gotts has really come on this year, 19 now, first year in the Under-23s, earned a new contract over the weekend,” Urquhart said.
“He’s probably one of the most improved players from the start of the season to now. He’s transformed his position, his pace and trickery, he drifts into dangerous positions. He’s been in and around the first-team squad.”
We’ve watched Gotts in the last couple of games for the Under-23s and he looks every inch a future star.
He’s been rewarded with a new contract, with his old deal expiring in the summer, and he will be looking to make an impact in the first-team before the end of the season, with one eye on a possible run in the Premier League next season.
Bielsa has shown that he’s got no qualms about letting youngsters play and if Ayling carries on in his current form, Gotts breakthrough might come sooner rather than later.