Leeds United ‘generational talent’ Finley Gorman seduced into quitting Elland Road – Phil Hay
Manchester City seduced “generational talent” Finley Gorman into quitting Leeds United, according to Phil Hay.
The Athletic reported on 15 November that Gorman is set to land Leeds a payment of up to £5million when his move to City goes through.
A deal is said to have been already been agreed between the two clubs, and Hay does not believe Leeds stood much chance of retaining him.
“It is going to happen,” he said on The Square Ball podcast [23 November, 32m 47s]. “It needed to go through Premier League checks just to make sure these things are above board and compliant, because he is so young at 15.
“Leeds think that this is a British transfer record for a player of his age. If everything goes to plan – and it’s worth mentioning these are long-term add-ons – this could be worth £5m plus, which is a lot of money.
“He wants to go. He’s made it clear that he wants to go. So it was a case of ‘do we go to a compensation hearing, or get a deal done with City?’
“Leeds have long felt the pressure from City. City know there are a lot of good players who come through Leeds, and it’s worth keeping an eye on. It’s not the first and it probably won’t be the last.
“[City] see him as sort of a generational talent. They see him as the best of the best in England in his position and at his age it’s hard not to get seduced, that ‘they think a lot of me, this place is incredible, I can end up playing for City’.”
Big things
As frustrating as it is to see a player clearly as talented as Gorman move on, this is very much a case of the footballing food chain coming into focus.
In the same way that Leeds have plucked youngsters from below them, Premier League heavyweights are now swirling for some of our own talents.
The fact Gorman is just 15 means that Leeds cannot offer him a professional contract, so City can land him for a minimal compensation fee. The various add-ons, potentially taking the deal to £5m, make it more appealing.
Despite his young age, Gorman has already caught the eye at age-grade level and is clearly destined for big things, whether that be at Man City or elsewhere.
This is by no means to wish anything bad on the teenager, but many a player have made a wrong choice at this age and never recovered from it.
But in a similar position, how many of us at the same age could really say no to joining the best side in world football right now?
Hopefully, Gorman fulfils his potential and makes a real name for himself, before one day returning to Elland Road.
In other Leeds United news, Harry Redknapp has opened up on suggestions he was in the running to succeed Javi Gracia earlier this year.