Leeds United Academy

Leeds United FC runs a category 1 academy based in West Yorkshire. They have a youth development program that nurtures young talent.

The Academy’s official X (formerly Twitter) account is @leedsutdacademy.

Academy Competitions

Each season, the Academy competes across the standard slate of competitions for Category One clubs:

• U18 Premier League – split into North and South divisions; Leeds United’s Under-18s play in the North League.
• U17 & U18 Premier League Cup – introduced by the Premier League in 2017; seven group winners plus the best runner-up (by points, goal difference, then head-to-head) progress to the quarter-finals.
• FA Youth Cup – the traditional nationwide knockout competition open to academy sides across English football.
• Premier League 2 – since 2023, all Category One academies play in a single Swiss-style league (29 clubs in 2025/26), with entry and removal governed by Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) accreditation criteria.
• U21 Premier League Cup – introduced in the 2013/14 season to add a knockout tournament alongside the regular Professional Development Phase league schedule, featuring nine groups with the top team in each group plus the seven best runners-up advancing to the knockout stage.
• National League Cup – a 32-team midweek competition comprising 16 Under-21 sides from Premier League 2 and 16 National League club first teams.
• Vertu Trophy (EFL Trophy) – a midweek knockout competition for EFL League One and League Two clubs, plus 16 invited Premier League and Championship clubs with Category One academies, regionalised from the group stage through to the quarter-finals.
• Premier League International Cup – teams are split into four groups of eight, each comprising four UK-based Under-21 sides and four invited overseas clubs represented by their development squads, with the top two in each group advancing to the knockout stage.

2025/26 Season

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season under Academy Manager Martin Diggle.

In September 2025, former Leeds and England winger Aaron Lennon returned to the club as an Under-18 coach, working alongside Rob Etherington and Alex Purver.

Full details of players retained, released, or returned from loan following the 2024/25 season can be found on the club’s official retained list.

Scholars 2025/26

Fifteen players signed scholarship agreements with the club, committing to two-year deals as they continue their development at Thorp Arch: Aiden Thompson, Callum Mills, Carrick Njinko and Harry Gray.

Also Isaac Bridge, Jacob Howard, Jacob Watson, Joe Bhaskaran, Kenneth Mensah, Logan White, Loui Whitehead, Louie Philpott, Miller Megson, Oliver Wood, Sam Alker.

Academy Players on Loan 2025/26

• Charlie Crew (Midfielder) – Doncaster Rovers
• Darryl Ombang (Goalkeeper) – Darlington
• Alex Baird (Goalkeeper) – Brighouse Town; Bridlington Town AFC
• Devon Brockie (Forward) – Cleethorpes Town
• Harry Gray (Forward) – Rotherham United
• Reuben Lopata-White (Defender) – Greenock Morton
• Connor Douglas (Midfielder) – Buxton
• Rory Mahady (Goalkeeper) – Scunthorpe United
• Miller Megson (Defender) – Longridge Town
• Kenneth Mensah (Forward) – Scarborough Athletic

Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26

Sam Chambers (Midfielder, #42).

International Players 2025/26

• Jayden Lienou (DF) – Wales U19
• Luke Matykiewicz (DF) – Northern Ireland U19
• Robbie Cook (GK) – England U20
• Rory Mahady (GK) – Scotland U21

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Premier League Cup, Leeds United’s Under-17s were drawn in Group F against Under-17 sides from Middlesbrough, Newcastle United and Sunderland.

For the U18 Premier League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group F against Blackburn Rovers, West Bromwich Albion and Fulham.

Also in the National League Cup, the Under-21s were drawn in Group D against Boston United, FC Halifax Town, Gateshead and Scunthorpe United, with all fixtures played away from home.

In the Vertu Trophy, the Under-21s were drawn in Northern Group G against Accrington Stanley, Fleetwood Town and Port Vale.

Finally in the Premier League International Cup, the Under-21s were grouped with Athletic Club, Borussia Dortmund, Anderlecht and Sporting CP, alongside fellow English sides Manchester United, Sunderland and West Ham United.

Season Timeline

June 2025

• 20-year-old midfielder Joe Snowdon signed a one-year contract with Swindon Town.
• Cian Coleman completed a permanent move to Buxton in the National League North, following his release from Leeds United.

July 2025

• Goalkeeper Rory Mahady committed his future to Leeds United by signing a new three-year contract.
• Defender Coban Bird and midfielder Harvey Vincent both signed their first professional contracts with Leeds United.
• Leeds secured the signing of defender Louis Enahoro-Marcus on a two-year deal following his departure from Liverpool, with the 18-year-old initially joining the club’s Under-21 squad.
• 17-year-old left-back Jayden Lienou joined the club’s Academy from Manchester City, signing a three-year contract committing his future to the club until 2028.
• Exciting forward Oliver Boast joined Tottenham Hotspur for an undisclosed fee.
• Defender James Debayo left Leeds United following the expiration of his contract that summer.

September 2025

• Aaron Lennon returned to Leeds United Academy as an Under-18 coach, where he works alongside Rob Etherington and Alex Purver.

October 2025

• Devon Brockie signed his first professional contract with Leeds United.

November 2025

• Leeds defender Luke Matykiewicz received a call-up to the Northern Ireland Under-19 squad for their upcoming Euro Qualifiers against Malta, Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic.
• Six first-year scholars had appeared for the Under-21s so far that season: Callum Mills, Louie Philpott, Loui Whitehead, Logan White, Jake Howard and Harry Gray.

December 2025

• Leeds United’s Under-18s booked their place in the FA Youth Cup fourth round, following their tie against Bristol City, setting up a home tie against Swansea City in the next round.

January 2026

• Former Leeds United academy prospect James Debayo signed for Hull City after leaving the club at the expiration of his contract.
• Leeds United’s Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup journey came to an end in the fourth round, following their tie against Swansea City.
• Leeds United confirmed the signing of Leonard Ngenge, who joined the club’s Academy on a contract through to the end of the 2026/27 season; the defender arrives in West Yorkshire from Nigeria, having made seven appearances in all competitions that season for Remo Stars FC.

2024/25 Season

A proud 2024/25 season for the Leeds Academy saw the Under-21s crowned National League Cup winners, and the Under-18s reach the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup. Nineteen Leeds United graduates featured across the Premier League and EFL during the season: six in the Premier League, seven in the Championship, four in League One, and two in League Two.

Scholars 2024/25

George Kenyon (Goalkeeper), Louie Dudley (Defender), Will Firth (Defender), Josh Hamilton (Defender), Luke Matykiewicz (Defender)

Elton Simo (Midfielder), Ollie Pickles (Midfielder), Jack Morris (Midfielder), Jacob Render (Midfielder), Freddie Lane (Midfielder).

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Sonny Perkins (Forward) – Leyton Orient
• Darko Gyabi (Midfielder) – Plymouth Argyle
• Alex Baird (Goalkeeper) – Boro Rangers FC
• Darryl Ombang (Goalkeeper) – Farsley Celtic; Hartlepool United
• Cian Coleman (Midfielder) – Buxton
• Joe Richards (Defender) – South Shields
• Luca Thomas (Forward) – York City; FC Halifax Town
• Connor Ferguson (Defender) – Farsley Celtic
• Charlie Crew (Midfielder) – Doncaster Rovers

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Mateo Joseph (Forward, #19), Charlie Crew (Midfielder, #50), Sam Chambers (Midfielder, #42), Harry Gray (Forward, #45), James Debayo (Defender, #37), Jeremy Monga (Forward, #93).

International Players 2024/25

• Samuel Alkar (MF) – England U16
• Jacob Howard (DF) – England U16
• Oliver Boast (FW) – England U16
• Kenneth Mensah (FW) – Italy U16
• Josh McDonald (FW) – Scotland U17
• Harry Gray (FW) – England U17
• Luke Matykiewicz (DF) – Northern Ireland U18
• Sam Chambers (MF) – Scotland U19
• Rory Mahady (GK) – Scotland U19; U21
• Diogo Monteiro (DF) – Portugal U20
• Darko Gyabi (MF) – England U20; U21
• Jeremiah Mullen (DF) – Scotland U21
• Mateo Joseph (FW) – Spain U21
• Charlie Crew (MF) – Wales U19; U21; First Team

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Premier League Cup, Leeds United’s Under-17s were drawn in Group E against Under-17 sides from Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Newcastle United.

For the U18 Premier League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group B against Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City.

In the U21 Premier League Cup, the Under-21s were drawn in Group H against Charlton Athletic, Stockport County and Birmingham City.

As for the National League Cup, the Under-21s were drawn in Group C against Boston United, Gateshead, FC Halifax Town and Tamworth, with all fixtures played away from home.

Season Timeline

November 2024

• Leeds United were drawn away to Portsmouth in the third round of the FA Youth Cup.
• Defender James Debayo made his Sky Bet Championship debut against Swansea City.

December 2024

• Performance Habits, a ground-breaking mental wellbeing programme, was introduced to Leeds United Academy players to encourage positive routines, strengthen mental resilience, and help manage setbacks.
• Leeds advanced to the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Portsmouth, and were set to face AFC Fylde next.

January 2025

• Midfielder Cian Coleman returned from his loan spell with National League North side Buxton FC.
• Forward Luca Thomas returned from his loan spell with National League side York City FC.
• Leeds’ Under-21s took Tottenham Hotspur defender Roman Egan-Riley on trial.
• Leeds’ Under-18s advanced to the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie away against AFC Fylde.
• Leeds United’s FA Youth Cup clash with Manchester City was scheduled for Tuesday 4 February, at the LNER Stadium.
• Under-21s defender Oscar Dawber joined American side Butler Men’s Soccer.
• Leyton Orient signed midfielder Sonny Perkins from Leeds United for an undisclosed fee, having had him on loan at the club since the start of the season.

February 2025

• Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen joined Dunfermline Athletic from Leeds United, signing an initial deal at East End Park until the end of the season.
• Leeds’ Under-18s were eliminated from the FA Youth Cup in the fifth round, following their tie against Manchester City.
• 18-year-old goalkeeper Robbie Cook signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Leeds United after joining from Perth Glory, initially linking up with the club’s Under-18s squad.

March 2025

• Sam Chambers signed a new three-year contract with Leeds United.
• Leeds United’s Under-21s were drawn to face Altrincham away in the National League Cup semi-final, with the match scheduled for Tuesday 1 April.

April 2025

• Leeds United’s Under-21s secured their place in the National League Cup final, following their tie away at Altrincham.
• Harry Gray made his first-team debut for Leeds, becoming the fourth teenager to make his senior debut for the club that season, after James Debayo, Charlie Crew and Sam Chambers, with his great-uncle and club legend Eddie watching from the stands.
• Defender Dan Toulson was set to make a move to the United States that summer, joining American side Charleston Soccer ahead of the new season.
• Leeds United’s Under-21s became the first team to have their name engraved on the National League Cup trophy, following their final against Sutton United.

May 2025

• Rhys Chadwick was voted Leeds United Under-21s’ Players’ Player of the Season for 2024/25.
• Ollie Pickles was named Under-18s Players’ Player of the Season.
• 19-year-old Welsh midfielder Charlie Crew celebrated being part of Doncaster Rovers’ Sky Bet League Two title-winning squad while on loan.

June 2025

• Sam Chambers was named 2024/25 Scholar of the Year.

Released Academy Players (end of 2024/25)

Harry Christy, Cian Coleman, Connor Ferguson, Max McFadden (joined Tottenham Hotspur’s development squad), Amari Miller, Kris Moore, Joe Richards, Joe Snowdon (joined Swindon Town), Luca Thomas (joined AFC Fylde), Dan Toulson.