The latest reports state that Leeds United has entered the race for Northern Irish teenage sensation Jack Hastings because they believe Finley Gorman will soon join Manchester City.

Additionally, The Athletic responded to this with a report of their own, stating that the English behemoths would be compelled to pay a sum that would surpass Fran Merida’s £2.2 million transfer from FC Barcelona to Arsenal in 2005 as the British transfer record for a player in his age group.

Despite his advanced age, Gorman has often defied expectations. In the previous season, against Arsenal in the U18 Premier League, he became the youngest player to ever score a brace, aged just 14 years and 326 days.However, according to Football Insider, Gorman will still cost £1.2 million to join the Manchester United team, contingent on passing a medical exam. This suggests that his fee may not be as high as previously reported by other publications.

Furthermore, a recent report from Football Insider earlier today revealed that Leeds United is getting ready to make a bid for 17-year-old Larne starlet Jack Hastings in an attempt to make up for Gorman’s departure. However, they will be up against fierce competition from Wolverhampton Wanderers, a Premier League team.

The young player, who won’t turn 18 until March, is a complete U17s international for Northern Ireland and has already made his senior debut with Larne in the Irish Cup this season.

Writer’s View

It is a great loss to lose Gorman. In Yorkshire, there were great expectations for the 15-year-old, especially since Joe Gelhardt’s career hasn’t exactly gone as expected thus far. But, Leeds already had to accept that the writing was on the wall when a team like Manchester City expressed interest and made a rumoured financial offer.

Although there isn’t much information available about Hastings, Leeds has recruited young players quite well in recent years, so supporters can have complete confidence in the board that this will be the ideal successor.

In related news:

Clive Tyldesley slams anonymous Leeds United loanee Jack Harrison in Everton match, Alan Shearer reacts

On Wednesday, December 27, during the first half of Everton’s match against Manchester City, Clive Tyldesley chastised Jack Harrison, a Leeds United loanee.

In an interview with Prime Video on Wednesday night at 8:35 p.m., the pundit stated that he was unable to recall the 27-year-old touching the ball for the Toffees throughout the first 20 minutes of the game at Goodison Park.

Players want to interact with each other and participate in the game, Shearer continued, but he urged the English winger to have patience and hold out for his chance.

“I don’t recall seeing Jack Harrison on the ball, for example, and there have been one or two Everton players who have hardly touched the ball yet,” Tyldesley remarked. “Any player would find that to be a frustrating experience, don’t they?”

“Yes, without a doubt,” Shearer replied. “Because you want to touch the ball and have touches.” You want to participate in the game, but as I previously mentioned, sometimes patience is required.

“You must bide your time till your chance presents itself. Try to be as patient as you can and stick with your man.

Tyldesley seems to have criticised Harrison too soon as the player had trouble getting the ball in the first few minutes of the match.

The Leeds loanee scored on minute 29 to give Everton a 1-0 lead and guarantee his team would lead at halftime at Goodison Park, less than ten minutes later.

Shearer was correct when he said that the winger would simply need to wait patiently for his chance, which he took wonderfully, cutting in from the right side and guiding the ball into the net from close range.

Harrison’s strong play for the Toffees this season is not surprising, as he has previously demonstrated during his time at Elland Road that he is more than capable of contending at the Premier League level.

Even though he is just on loan with the Blues, it doesn’t seem probable that he will go back to West Yorkshire unless the Whites win promotion back to the Premier League this year.