Sonny Perkins will still never play for Leeds United again after what he did recently
Leeds United youngster Sonny Perkins finally hitting form on loan for Leyton Orient will surely rule out an early return to Elland Road.
Perkins netted for the third time in as many games with Orient’s second goal in a 3-1 EFL Trophy victory at MK Dons on 12 November, having failed to score in his first 12 appearances at Brisbane Road.
The 20-year-old’s contract in LS11 expires at the end of the season, and after his recent form for the Os, any possibility of a recall for Perkins – as was the case last January – is surely now off the cards.
Speaking to Orient’s YouTube channel after the latest win, manager Richie Wellens said of Perkins: “You can see when you give someone confidence what can happen to him.”
Sonny Perkins finds potential new home away from Leeds United
Making just six appearances and scoring a solitary EFL Trophy goal in the first half of last season at Oxford, it was no surprise when United recalled their number 16 early from the Kassam Stadium.
This term, however, Perkins hitting form at exactly the right time will likely see him remain at Brisbane Road until the end of the campaign, after which the England youth international’s future is unclear.
With Orient battling for survival at the bottom of League One – as opposed to Oxford who were fighting for promotion – it remains to be seen if they would be in a position to sign Perkins.
As was the case with Cody Drameh’s contract situation this summer, any English club keen to sign Perkins would need to pay the Whites compensation due to FA rules on free agents aged 24 or younger.
Regardless, Perkins’ time at Elland Road looks to be all but over, and having finally hit form for the club where he started his career, he will likely never play for the Whites again.
In other Leeds news, Graham Smyth has identified what the club’s new-look recruitment team have to get right in January.
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