Phil Hay: Bielsa has ‘taken a shine’ to never-before-seen Leeds starlet
Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa has “taken a shine” to teenage winger Stuart McKinstry, according to Phil Hay.
The 17-year-old signed for the Whites from Motherwell last summer in a deal worth around £225,000.
As yet, the starlet has not featured for the senior side at Elland Road, but has been a regular in the U18s FA Youth Cup team this season.
And Hay has suggested that his work behind the scenes has caught the eye of the first team manager.
Writing in a Q&A for The Athletic, the reliable journalist was asked which Leeds youth prospects could be in line to make a step up to the senior squad now that the Whites are permitted to make five substitutions per game.
In response, Hay said: “Many of the usual faces like [Jordan] Stevens, [Leif] Davis, [Pascal] Struijk etc.
“Bielsa has also taken a shine to McKinstry, the winger Leeds signed from Motherwell.”
Bielsa has proven more than once that he is a firm believer in giving youth a chance.
The most obvious comparison to make here is the way that he promoted Jack Clarke to the senior setup last season.
A teenage winger who impressed in training before becoming a first team regular, you could certainly argue that there is a distinct path laid out for McKinstry to follow.
And while there isn’t a great deal of evidence to exhibit what he can do, he clearly has something if Bielsa is taking notice.
His first team credentials have been clear for some time too, seemingly.
Speaking shortly after his move to Elland Road, Motherwell chief executive Alan Burrows said: “In an ideal world, we would have liked to have kept Stuart for a bit longer and integrated him into the first-team.”
17 is mightily young to be thrown into a Championship promotion battle, not to mention a potential Premier League campaign next term, but at very least, Hay’s update would suggest that the Scot has a big future in Yorkshire.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay: Leeds could have interest in signing Arsenal ace to replace outgoing mainstay.