Leeds could unleash Thorp Arch's breakout star in "fiery" 18 y/o who's "got an edge" - opinion

After listening to Victor Orta’s exciting comments about the academy last week, Leeds United supporters will no doubt be casting even more of a keen eye on some of the club’s brightest young talents.

The Yorkshire club’s director of football openly spoke about the need to have academy prospects in and around the first-team set-up, saying: “I believe in a project that is one of Marcelo Bielsa’s legacies – 18 professionals and the other four players always being under 21.

“If you believe in youth development, you need to prove (it). Our idea is to believe in youth development and to give belief to the Academy. (What) is better for me – the 450 minutes for a striker in Joey Gelhardt, or 450 minutes in a striker who is 31 years old? I believe in the first.

“Because it’s the only way Leeds United can grow. Because the other way, if I am going to buy careers, I always lose, because there are other teams in England with more money, with more investment. I need to build careers.”

Well, if Orta is looking at ‘building’ a career out of someone at Thorp Arch, then he should look no further than 18-year-old starlet Max Dean.

The teenage forward has enjoyed an impressive campaign with the club’s U23s this season, scoring five goals in 15 games at Premier League 2 level, including strikes against the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United.

It’s been no surprise then that Leeds’ former U23s boss Mark Jackson has previously waxed lyrical about the forward and his character, saying: “You don’t have to prepare it with Deano. Deano’s a fiery character, I don’t like to quash that in him. He’s got an edge to him and how he plays – and I like that in his personality.

“Yes he gets frustrated at times and we have to curtail it but