A Leeds United youngster was released by the Yorkshire side this summer after turning down a deal, he is now hoping to find first-team football elsewhere.
So far this summer, Leeds United have spent £100 million on new players, and whilst these arrivals have shown promise, they’re still lacking some firepower on the frontline.
Before the window closes on Monday evening, the Whites will be hoping to pin down Leicester’s Bilal El Khannouss, who could cost Leeds £35 million.
With all the noise around the big comings and goings, it’s easy to forget about the youngsters who have left Elland Road, and one of them could be heading to Europe for regular minutes.
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James Debayo weighing up European move after Leeds exit
Victor Orta signed Debayo in 2021 from Watford’s academy, aged just 15.
Since then, he has made just one first-team appearance for Daniel Farke’s side, during a 4-3 win over Swansea City in November 2024.
He came off the bench in the closing minutes of that game and that’s the closest he came since. With the likes of Joe Rodon, whom Debayo impressed in pre-season last year, and Pascal Struijk being ahead of him in the pecking order, the chances of him playing in the Premier League were very slim.
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And now, journalist Pete O’Rourke has shared on Twitter/X that Debayo is weighing up offers from Belgian club Cercle Brugge and Portuguese club SC União Torreense.
The 20-year-old turned down a new deal at Leeds and offers from other English clubs in search of regular first-team football.
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Youngsters who succeeded after leaving Leeds United
With James Debayo having to go elsewhere to secure the minutes he’s after, he isn’t the first talented young player who has left Elland Road and gone on to achieve great success elsewhere.
A prime example is Fabian Delph. After coming through the Leeds academy, he moved to Aston Villa before winning two Premier League titles with Manchester City.
Similarly, Lewis Cook impressed at Elland Road before a move to Bournemouth cemented his place as a top-flight midfielder. He even earned his first senior England cap after leaving the club.
Perhaps the most famous example is James Milner. Though he became a first-team regular at Leeds, he left as a teenager to pursue his career. He has since won every major domestic trophy and the Champions League with Liverpool and Manchester City.
Leeds may also be hoping if Debayo dominates in Europe and attracts attention, he could always come back to Elland Road to make his mark.