Leeds United Face Man City, Arsenal Competition In Pursuit Of Teenage Ace: One For The Future?

According to Daily Mail, Leeds United are in the market for Mateo Fernandez. The Whites are confident that they can sign the Espanyol whizkid and have held talks over meeting the £1.2 million release clause embedded in his contract. But they do face stiff competition from Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool as well as Barcelona in the pursuit of Fernandez.

Who Is Mateo Fernandez?

A product of the Espanyol youth academy, Mateo Joseph Fernandez is currently one of the hottest prospects in Spanish football. An attacker by trade, the youngster has made a name for himself through his performances in the Spanish youth leagues.

Fernandez is currently a member of the Espanyol U19 squad, but many already believe that he should be playing at a higher level like the reserves or even in the senior squad.

The report suggests that the 17-year-old, though an attacker, packs quite a punch in terms of physicality. He also has the natural ability to score goals and make life difficult for the opposition and is often described as technically proficient.

However, his biggest asset is to find the net, having scored 40 goals during a breakthrough 2016-17 campaign in the youth team before going on to score 15 goals in 13 games for Espanyol Cadete during the 2018/19 campaign, essentially making him one of biggest prospects in Catalonia.

Should Leeds United Invest In Mateo Fernandez?

Leeds United have shown a lot of trust in their youth system lately, investing in an array of quality talents across Europe. Even in the summer, they had brought in players like Lewis Bate, Leo Hjelde, Amari Miller and Sean McGurk among many others.

Mateo Fernandez, in that regard, could be another smart long-term investment who might pay off a few years later. Already at 17, the youngster has shown tremendous promise in the Spanish youth leagues, establishing himself as a promising striker whose style of play can be compared to Sergio Aguero.

It bodes well for Leeds United, who are struggling with the injury of Patrick Bamford, especially with other alternatives failing to find the back of the net on a consistent basis. The addition of Fernandez, though only a youth player at this point, could thus make even more sense, knowing the youngster has the potential of becoming a first-team player in the future.

Therefore, the Whites must do everything they can to secure the services of Mateo Fernandez and activate his £1.2 million release clause which makes him a real bargain for any European outfit.