After losing his first game as Leeds United boss at the weekend, Jesse Marsch faces a quick turnaround when his side take on Aston Villa at Elland Road on Thursday night.

The Whites fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat to Leicester to further bring them into a relegation dogfight, and Marsch will need to quickly find a way to inspire some change.

And, one way he could potentially do that, is by turning to one of the club's brightest academy prospects: Sam Greenwood.

With just 12 minutes of Premier League football to his name this season - his sole outing came in the 4-1 defeat to Arsenal at Elland Road towards the back end of last year - it's fair to say the 19-year-old hasn't exactly had much of a look-in.

And, considering the Whites' top-flight status is in serious jeopardy, it would certainly be a bold call for Marsch to throw Greenwood into the deep end, but it might be the kind of exciting gamble that just gives everyone around the club, including the fans, a much-needed lift.

According to Football Insider previously, the teenager is someone who has been making waves behind-the-scenes, and that he left a great impression with former boss Marcelo Bielsa.

The report said: "But one of the cheaper, less-heralded signings of last year has the United coaching staff at Thorpe Arch increasingly convinced he has a massive future ahead of him.

"To say the 19-year-old is highly thought of is an understatement, with the word “phenomenal” regularly used to describe him behind the scenes."

In his debut season campaign at Elland Road, Greenwood bagged 12 goals in just 18 games, playing in a number of different roles, including up front, behind the striker and further back as a central midfielder.

And, he's got a big fan in former Leeds ace Noel Whelan, who said: "(He's) another player who possesses an immense amount of ability. To have a weapon like that in your side is great. You can see the ability he has but the free-kicks are about the hard work he puts in on the training ground and for that he deserves to be praised."

Given his deadly ability from set-pieces, and his versatility in playing a number of roles, Greenwood possesses a number of characteristics that mark him out as a very intriguing prospect for Marsch to develop at Elland Road.

While Gelhardt of course is the name on everybody's lips, it's his academy teammate who may be the more exciting out of the pair given just how well he seems to have impressed behind-the-scenes.

If given the chance, he might even overtake Joffy in the pecking order.

Meanwhile, Leeds are eyeing this attacker...