As Victor Orta dotted the Is and crossed the Ts in the summer transfer window, he did so knowing he’d signed a collective group of players capable of taking Leeds towards a brighter future.
Of course, Rodrigo’s addition stole the headlines but it cannot be underestimated the work Orta did in securing a host of players for their academy.
The likes of Joe Gelhardt, Cody Drameh and Crysencio Summerville all arrived to bolster the ranks in the U23s but the young player who has caught the attention the most is Sam Greenwood.
The teenager took the bold decision to leave his hometown of Sunderland in 2018 to join Arsenal, but just two years later he was moving back up north.
This time his destination was Leeds United, and since arriving, he hasn’t looked back.
Gelhardt was the main attraction as far as young prospects go last summer but it’s Greenwood who has impressed more than anyone.
The 18-year-old has been superb for the U23s and already has six goals in just nine outings this term. A minor injury set him back but the highs have certainly outweighed the lows in his first few months at Thorp Arch.
He scored a hat-trick against Sunderland and is very nearly ready for first-team action. His left foot is as sweet as a nut and he is an instinctive finisher capable of hitting rasping drives. It’s no wonder that he’s been compared to Robin van Persie – someone with a breathtaking shot and left foot.
Talking about Greenwood earlier this season, Joe Donnohue of Leeds Live said: “His start may have been excellent, so imagine how much better he could be with consistent football.”
Excellent is something that typifies the teenager perfectly and in a month where Leeds favourably look away from entering the transfer market, he could profit significantly.
The likes of Jean-Philippe Mateta and Diego Costa have been touted with moves but the Whites should forget about those attackers and focus on promoting within.
Greenwood is as explosive as they come and would surely suit the style of football Marcelo Bielsa plays perfectly.
He deserves his chance as much as any at Leeds.