Craig Scott

Tue 20 July 2021 17:10, UK

Leeds United want to sign Chelsea midfielder Lewis Bate to add to their Under-23s squad and not their first-team, according to Phil Hay.

Writing via his personal Twitter account on Monday night, The Athletic journalist reported that Bate, 18, will be someone who Leeds want to develop rather than add to their senior squad, with the Whites eyeing another central midfielder who’s seen as their “main” target.

Hay’s update comes after his colleague from The Athletic, Simon Johnson, reported that Leeds have made a bid for England youth international Bates.

More additions on the horizon

Leeds have had quite a strong start to the transfer window by adding new players at all levels of the club.

We’ve seen a number of new scholars arrive in West Yorkshire, a couple of additions to the Under-23s squad and Junior Firpo and Jack Harrison sign full-time deals to join up with the first-team on a permanent basis.

Now it seems that Bates will be added to the likes of Amari Miller and Sean McGurk in the Under-23s, with a new central midfielder still to join the senior side at Elland Road.

According to a report by the Yorkshire Evening Post earlier this month, Victor Orta is in talks to sign a new midfielder who can play in the middle of Marcelo Bielsa’s formation.

We’re yet to know a name for this midfielder but the news about Firpo’s arrival was leaked in a similar manner until the Spanish press managed to get hold of the information, presumably from Barcelona’s end.

Leeds are keeping their cards close to their chest and we do like that.

However we hope that something happens soon in regards to a central midfielder arriving at Elland Road.

They’ll need to get up to speed with Bielsa’s brutal fitness demands and his system so the more time he has in pre-season training, the better.

In other Leeds United news, this winger has been spotted heading to a Yorkshire club ahead of potentially leaving Elland Road for good.