Yesterday, here on The72, we wrote about how Leeds United was interested in landing young French defender Enzo Valentim as per an article by Football Insider.
Valentim, an 18-year-old central defender who is highly thought of, plays for Stade Reims B in France and featured in two Ligue 2 games for them last season. He only signed for Reims early last July, coming in from fellow French club FC Tours.
Many clubs are said to be interested in the youngster, and Leeds was one of these sides credited with real interest. The Whites have had a series of successes in encouraging youngsters from top sides on the continent to join their burgeoning youth set-up at Thorp Arch.
However, the Whites may want to dilute their expectations somewhat in the face of counter interest from none other than Liverpool according to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke. O’Rourke says that a source at the Champions League winners was informed him/Football Insider that “the club [Liverpool] are keeping close tabs” on the youngster.
The Reds have invested heavily in young players already this summer, shelling out for the likes 16-year-old Harvey Elliott and 17-year-old Sepp van den Berg. Adding in Valentim would continue this ploughing of a youthful vein.
Obviously Leeds United would struggle to compete with Liverpool in terms of glamour and prestige, but that might not rule them out of the running entirely. Obviously, the Whites would be able to offer the young French defender a more clear route to the first-team, and that fearless promotion of youth is evident in Leeds’ current squad set-ups.
Going down that avenue, pushing that element of their strategy and Leeds United might just stand a chance of capturing Enzo Valentim. If it comes down to a straight shoot-out in the cash stakes, well the Whites have no chance.
