Charlie Crew’s Leeds United future examined: What’s next for Thorp Arch’s midfield prospect?
Charlie Crew is one of only a few Thorp Arch prospects to have made a first-team appearance over the last two seasons.
Crew joined Leeds back in 2022, having left Cardiff City at a young age.
Within his first season with the Whites, he was promoted to their Under-21 side, where he has remained ever since, amassing 39 appearances over the last four campaigns.
Two separate loan spells at Doncaster have aided his development over the last 12 months, but now back at Thorp Arch, what comes next for Crew?
How did Charlie Crew fare at Doncaster?
Like a handful of Leeds’ youth players, Crew has spent a lot of the last two seasons on loan in League One as the Whites look to get their prospects used to senior football.
The 19-year-old made 24 appearances for Doncaster across his two spells with the club, but his minutes were limited.
Crew played just 391 minutes of football in his 11 appearances this season, with very few things to shout home about.
His standout attribute was his passing range, as demonstrated by the fact that he completed 81.1 per cent of his attempted passes, which placed him in the top 25 per cent of midfielders in the league.
However, perhaps as expected, Crew struggled with the physical demands that are needed in the EFL, winning just 55 per cent of his defensive duels, with 22 won in total.
What’s next for Crew at Leeds United?
Crew played 45 minutes for Leeds’ Under-21s in their 3-1 defeat to West Ham, having just returned from an injury.
The plan was for the midfielder to secure another loan move in January, but nothing materialised from that, somewhat leaving the teenager in limbo.
But with two years left on his deal at Elland Road at the end of the campaign, Leeds have no reason to rush into a decision regarding his long-term future, with a loan exit likely.
Whether the Whites look to try him in the Championship remains to be seen, but a move back to League One may make the most sense for the 19-year-old.
For more in-depth analysis of the Whites’ youth teams, visit Football Insider.