Leeds United have reached a "total agreement" with Espanyol starlet Mateo Joseph, but a fee remains a stumbling block for the moment.

What's the story?

According to recent reports from The Daily Mail, Marcelo Bielsa's side are one of a number of teams interested in signing the 17-year-old forward whose contract runs out next summer.

Now, writing on Twitter, journalist Diego Balbontin, said: "Total agreement between club and player. The @RCDEspanyol considers insufficient the (formal) offer of the English (500k/clause of 1.5m). Free in 2022. It could be free if both clubs cannot reach an agreement."

Another Victor Orta masterclass

One of the hallmarks and successes of Leeds United's return to the Premier League, has been the incredible work that Victor Orta has done in the transfer market in signing players for relatively cheap, and seeing them develop into top-flight stars.

The likes of Illan Meslier and Pascal Struijk in particular came in for absolute pittance at Elland Road and have more than made their investment value for money.

In the 17-year-old, Joseph it would be yet another display of smart recruitment from Orta.

The Daily Mail claimed that along with Leeds, the likes of Barcelona, Arsenal and Liverpool are all interested in Joseph and have been keeping tabs on him ahead of a potential move.

For the Whites to jump ahead of the pack and swoop in for the teenager before those big clubs could put their claws in, is another sign of the quick-thinking and organisation that Orta and his transfer team work with.

It's the nature of the modern game and how the scouting world has improved, that very rarely do young players slip under the radar - gone are the days of someone like former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger being the first to a prodigious young talent simply because the French market had been left untapped.

Clubs, big and small, have massive recruitment teams stationed all over the world, so it requires much more work and speed of action for teams to be the first to sign the next big thing.

If the Whites can beat European heavyweights like Barcelona and Liverpool to Joseph's signing, it would be another masterclass from Orta.

Meanwhile, Phil Hay has delivered an update on Leeds United's Elland Road plans...