For a reported sum of over £200,000, the young forward permanently switched teams, leaving the Scottish club to join the Under-18 team at Elland Road. Pirie, who moved north to Pittodrie from Dundee FC as a schoolboy, had been on Aberdeen’s roster for three seasons.

Pirie, who is still only 16 years old, has made frequent appearances for Leeds’ Under-18 team this season, scoring three goals against Manchester City, Newcastle United, and Sunderland. However, he has not yet had success in the U18 Premier League with his new team. Pirie has now assisted on four goals in his previous five domestic games after picking up an assist against Middlesbrough.

Pirie most recently took on a provider role, recording the first assist of the match during Scotland Under-17s’ two-nil triumph against Kazakhstan earlier this week.

Left-footed attacker Josh McDonald, a fellow Scottish youth international who has previously scored goals at Thorp Arch, and Pirie joined Leeds this summer. The 2007-born player, who mostly plays on the wings for Leeds’ Under-18s this season, signed from Hamilton Academical’s junior setup. He has scored three goals for Leeds this season.

One of Leeds’ less well-known recent success stories is their scouting of younger age groups. Through the Whites’ academy, United has been able to find and develop youthful talent that is still in its infancy by searching the British Isles and, in some cases, beyond. Charlie Allen of Linfield, Sean McGurk of Wigan Athletic, Jeremiah Mullen of Liverpool, Mateo Joseph of Espanyol, Leo Hjelde of Celtic, Charlie Crew of Cardiff City, Sonny Perkins of West Ham United, Pascal Struijk of AFC Ajax, Crysencio Summerville of Feyenoord, and Darko Gyabi of Manchester City are recent academy signings.

This Saturday, the Whites’ youthful players take on Manchester United U18 in an effort to snap a string of four straight losses. Thorp Arch kickoff is set for noon.