Leeds United are finalising a move for Hamilton Academical teenager Josh McDonald, Football Insider report.
What’s the latest Leeds transfer news involving McDonald?
The Whites currently find themselves in free fall on the pitch, with Sam Allardyce the man tasked with keeping the club in the Premier League. He has three games to do just that following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to league leaders Manchester City, with Leeds now in 19th place and two points off safety after Everton and Nottingham Forest picked up wins on Monday.
However, despite the possibility of Championship football on the horizon, it looks as if the club, now without a sporting director after Victor Orta departed Elland Road, are still looking to add to their academy ranks, with McDonald seemingly on his way to Yorkshire.
Football Insider stated in the last 48 hours that Leeds have reached a full agreement to sign McDonald worth around £150,000. The midfielder has accepted a scholarship which will turn into a professional contract and was at Elland Road last week.
The report states that the 16-year-old has had a medical and ‘completed the formalities in a deal which is seen as a major coup by Leeds.’
Bigger fish to fry for Leeds right now…
McDonald is regarded as an ‘exceptional talent’ and one of the best in his age group in Scotland, and it appears as if the Whites have pipped Rangers to his services and are happy to do just that.
A transfer could well be looked back on in years to come as a shrewd piece of business, should McDonald break into the first-team ranks at Leeds, but right now, the club have a number of pressing issues.
It looks set to be an extremely busy summer off the pitch over the coming months, with another new manager likely after Allardyce's interim stint. A new director of football will also be on the agenda to replace Orta, whereas a full takeover for the 49ers from Radrizzani could also be about to materialise.
McDonald may well be a name to keep an eye on further down the line alongside another young midfielder in Archie Gray, with the teenager recently penning a professional contract with Leeds and making the bench against Manchester City last time out.