According to the latest reports from the Scottish Sun, Leeds United have fought off Southampton’s interest to secure a deal for Motherwell’s 16-year-old midfielder Stuart McKinstry. It is believed that the Well are going to receive £400,000 for the midfielder including 150,000 up front. The young prodigy will join Leeds in July when the summer transfer window opens.
The midfielder personally travelled to West Yorkshire to complete a deal with the Whites, a team currently in a good position to move to the Premier League by next season. McKinstry also happens to be a u-17 Scotland international but he is yet to make a senior appearance for Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership.
Leeds United have had a history of bringing in young players of around this age. They brought in the likes of Sam Dalby, Jordan Stevens, Ryan Edmondson, Mateusz Bogusz and Leif Davis not too long ago and quite a few of them are knocking on the doors of the senior team.
McKinstry is not going to make an instant impact in the first team, and he would have to bide his team with the reserves and youth side before he can come into contention for a place in the senior squad. Beating a club like Southampton is a significant boost for the Whites, and maybe the player feels that he has more chances of making it to the senior team with the West Yorkshire outfit.
And rightfully so as Marcelo Bielsa has shown this season that he is willing to trust the youngsters and give them responsibility at the big stage. The likes of Aapo Halme, Jamie Shackleton, Leif Davis, William Huffer and Jack Clarke have all made their debut under Bielsa, and the prospect of joining Leeds United should excite any young player across the globe.
The Scottish prodigy is a wide midfielder who generally likes to play on the right flank. However, he can even play on the left when required. Leeds United have been in desperate need of wingers and they came close to signing one in January in the form of Daniel James.
Hopefully, the youngster would be able to adapt to life at Elland Road and come good in the next few years. The midfielder should definitely be excited to join the Whites as they are in firm position to move to the Premier League and he could probably make his debut in the Premier League someday.
