Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke arrived at Elland Road last summer with a strong reputation for bringing through and developing young talent.
James Maddison, Max Aarons, Ben Godfrey, Emi Buendia, and Todd Cantwell, who revealed he once almost joined the Whites, were just a few of the prospects he helped to develop during his time with Norwich City.
The German boss carried on his fantastic work with youth upon his arrival in Yorkshire as the likes of Archie Gray and Mateo Joseph were brought into the first-team fold and handed opportunities to showcase their ability on the big stage.
Farke's ability to help youngsters transition into the senior side is why the club must continue to strengthen their academy and provide him with a fantastic pool of talent to pick from each summer.
Leeds United's interest in teenage forward
LeedsLive recently reported that one young ace on their radar is Glasgow Rangers forward Archie Stevens, who once described himself as an "exciting" player on the ball,
The outlet claimed that they are tracking the 18-year-old starlet but mentioned that Wolverhampton Wanderers, Nottingham Forest, and West Ham United have also been linked with him, which suggests that there could be competition for his signature.
LeedsLive described him as one of the Light Blues' biggest talents and added that there is a 'belief' that Stevens is now ready to play first-team football next season.
The report noted the departure of Jack Harrison on loan to Everton and the speculation hovering over Crysencio Summerville but added that the England youth international would not come in as a direct replacement for either of them.
Instead, Steven could arrive as a talented young player who the club could hit the jackpot with if he can become the next teen to fulfill his potential in Yorkshire.
Why Archie Stevens could be Archie Gray 2.0
At the start of last season, Gray had yet to make his senior debut for Leeds and was a central midfielder in the U21s until the German boss had a genius idea.
The former Norwich coach converted the then-17-year-old into a right-back or the first-team and the exceptional teenager went on to rack up 52 appearances in all competitions for the club.
His performances on the pitch at such a young age, and outside of his natural position, earned him the Championship Young Player of the Year award and a reported price tag of £40m, which has furthered Farke's reputation for developing players.
Appearances
44
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.8
Ball recoveries per game
4.5
Duel success rate
55%
Ground duel success rate
57%
As you can see in the table above, he was a regular for Leeds, featuring in 44 of their 46 league matches, and showcased his defensive quality by winning the majority of his duels, despite his age and inexperience.
Stevens, who made his Rangers debut at the age of 16 against Queen of the South in 2022, could now follow in Gray's footsteps to be the next teen sensation at Elland Road.
LeedsLive reported that there is a belief from the Whites that the right winger could be ready for the first-team and 18-year-old gem has already been capped by England at U17 and U18 level.
Therefore, Stevens could be the next gem unearthed by Farke, which would see them hit the jackpot once more as they already have by unearthing a £40m talent in Gray – who had not made a first-team appearance this time last year.