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Leeds United plan Stuart McKinstry contract talks as clubs start sniffing about
Stuart McKinstry is set for talks over a new Leeds United contract as the club look to head off Championship interest in the youngster, the Scottish Sun reports.
The midfielder, 20, has played his way into the Motherwell team of late and his impressive form on loan in Scotland has created interest from Sheffield United and Stoke.
His current contract is due to expire at the end of the season but the Whites now want to avoid losing him for nothing and are planning at extension.
The youngster has made a pair of first team appearances for Leeds United, but his development has now been aided to a return to the side where he broke into senior football.
After missing out on the first two SPFL games of the season he became a regular contributor off the bench, but has now played the full 90 minutes of the last four league games, scoring twice and assisting another in that time.
His performances saw him called up to the Scotland under-21s and have got English sides starting to sniff about, so United are looking to tie him down.
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It’s not just the youngsters who are still in West Yorkshire who are making their mark this season, as McKinstry has done enough to either extend his time with the Whites or net them a fee.
Having got into his final 12-months with just a couple of first-team appearances it might have looked like his move to England was set to fizzle out.
But a return to where his career started has rejuvenated him, and even if that doesn’t mean he ends up joining the likes of Crysencio Summerville and Sam Greenwood in having an impact on the first team in the near future it looks to have pushed him back into the minds of the hierarchy at his parent club.
The extra experience north of the border could put him in contention to join the first team squad for next season, but a further loan in the English second tier might make more sense.
He is proving a success in the SPFL currently, so another step up and he might then be Premier League ready, as long as the Whites keep themselves there.
Either way, should interest from the Blades or the Potters prove strong enough in the summer for either to make a transfer offer that can’t be refused it would still benefit club in the shorter term.
Credit to the young Scot for his current success, and if he can continue in that vein then various possibilities should open up for him.
In other Leeds United news, Henry Winter claims Whites weekend wonder should have already gone out on loan.