As Leeds United prepare for their 2020/21 season - either in the Premier League or the Championship - they will be linked with countless potential new signings.
The vast majority of names mentioned will be familiar to Leeds fans, but some will be less well known.
One such player is Jadan Raymond, the 16-year-old said to be in talks to join Leeds from Crystal Palace. According to reports, the youngster has told the Eagles he does not want to sign the scholarship contract they have offered him and wants to leave.
So who is Raymond? And does he fit the bill for Marcelo Bielsa’s high-flying team?
The central midfielder has been with the Eagles since he was eight and has represented two different countries at youth international level.
He took part in the 2018 Victory Shield, an annual tournament for under-16 players, for Wales, and played in matches against Scotland, the Republic of Ireland and eventual winners Northern Ireland. However, he later switched allegiance to England, and has appeared for their under-17s twice. His team-mates at that level include Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott, who played against Palace in the Premier League on Wednesday night.
Raymond’s two appearances for the under-17s came in the Syrenka Cup in September 2019. He assisted in the opening goal of a 5-0 win over Finland, before scoring the decisive penalty in the final against Poland.
He has also tasted youth team glory with Crystal Palace. In May 2019, the Eagles won their first National Super Floodlit Cup, an under-15s tournament, and Raymond was part of their side.
The young man shared a skills video on social media last week, which prompted Leeds fans to ask him to join their club.
Whether he ends up at Elland Road or with Vitoria Guimaraes, the Portuguese club also interested in signing him, Raymond looks destined for great things.
Despite Leeds being, on average, one of the older sides in the Championship this season, Marcelo Bielsa has given minutes to many young players.
Mateusz Bogusz, Oliver Casey and Jack Clarke are all teenagers who have represented the first team this season, and there are eight 20-year-olds who’ve enjoyed time on the pitch too.
Whether this would extend to a 16-year-old is unlikely, but there seem to be ample reasons for Leeds supporters to be excited about the future if they can secure Raymond.
