**[Leeds United](https://www.leedsallover.com/tag/leeds-united/) had five teenagers on their trip to Germany last month, and it shows their progression from youth players into developing senior options.**
Daniel Farke has little room for developing youth this coming season, any new signing or first team squad member has to be ready to hit the ground running for the ensuing survival bid.
In pre-season, though, he’s been able to cast his eye on Thorp Arch’s brightest talents as they helped bulk up the numbers in Germany.
The most notable and eye-catching name of the lot in Germany with Farke’s squad was 16-year-old **Harry Gray**, having made his emotional debut months prior in April on the day the club sealed promotion back to the Premier League.
_(Action Images/Matthew Childs)_
Gray notched an assist in Leeds’ 4-1 win over third-tier side SC Verl, slipping through a smart pass to Joel Piroe for the opener.
Three other outfielders travelled in **Sam Chambers** (18) – interestingly deployed in a right-back role after usually being seen in midfield – plus **Charlie Crew** (19) fresh from a League Two title with Doncaster Rovers, and **Rhys Chadwick** (18) after his stunning U21 goal return last season, playing in a variety of roles in Scott Gardner’s attack.
The fifth was goalkeeper **Rory Mahady** (18), but while he was involved in the training camp, didn’t feature in either of the two friendlies.
These five being brought into Farke’s first team environment doesn’t mean that they are vying for regular minutes in the Premier League next season, as it just wouldn’t be fair to put so much pressure on them so early in their careers.
However, it does strongly suggest their readiness for opportunities in the senior game, and therefore should lead to loan moves into the EFL for them.
For someone like Gray, another talent tipped for stardom like his older brother, might be kept in house at 16, but the rest certainly could do with loans to continue their progression and avoid stagnation at Thorp Arch.
We saw with Lewis Bate, Max Dean, Elia Caprile that these players can flourish when given regular playing time, and in the instance of these three names, Leeds let go of seriously talented players without getting much in return – Bate now captaining League One promotion candidates Stockport County, Dean shining after a move to Genk (pre-injury) in Belgium, and Caprile a Serie A regular with Cagliari.
It’s hard to judge the trajectory of these current teenage talents at Leeds, but in providing them with the right loans for 25/26, could end up raising their value to the first team or for sales in the future.
**_Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!_**