Leeds youngster goes on trial at Barcelona

Leeds United starlet Elliot Kebbie is on trial at Barcelona after becoming an unexpected transfer target for the European champions.

The 16-year-old winger linked up with the Catalan giants earlier this month and played a match for their youth team on Sunday.

Kebbie has been at Elland Road since the age of eight but has now moved to Spain wants to seal a switch to Pep Guardiola's side.

Leeds can still expect to pick-up a considerable fee for the youngster if he does sign for Barca.

Kebbie first came to prominence as a talented sprinter in his early teens and was a target for Leeds' bitter rivals Manchester United in 2009.

Despite going on trial at Old Trafford, he turned down a move to Manchester to stay with Leeds.

He signed a scholarship deal with Leeds last November, which was due to start this summer. But his Nou Camp move means he will not be taking up his position at the club's Thorp Arch academy next season.

 

another youngster bites the dust

 

good luck to him, most dont make it & Barca is a hell of a stage to get noticed on. Its a shame though, but encoraging to see the Youth set up is still alive & working!

 

tho would rather have our most promising youngsters stay with us and break into the team...

 

Couldnt agree more Cosmic. No one has managed to get there foot in from the youth team and remain there since Howson, which is a bit worrying considering how good our youth setup was. We had youngsters breaking through when we were in the prem, we couldnt really manage to do that with any great success in L1!

 

yeah true..plus a few who were poached by chelski, everton etc...tho not all have made the grade would've been good for them to develop with us and get possible experience of the 1st team here

 

I'd heard he was good but WOW!!! Barca

 

should try for a swap deal..now which player to have?

 

http://www.thefootballnetwork.net/boards/read/s277.htm?447,12519782

Discussion on a message board.

I know he's quick but not sure of his technical ability. No mention of it on LUFC.com?? Apparently Man Utd wanted him for £1million...

 

What a nightmare. If Arsenal, Chelsea or Man City had taken him in this way, there'd be an outcry and I feel the same way about Barca. Thieves.

Time for Ken to do what he does best if this works out.

 

Buy a new yacht?

 

Well, yes, but after he bullies the tribunal into giving him millions to get it.

 

I don't understand this. He won't make it at Barcelona. Another good young player gone, but also another career. Tom Taiwo and Michael Woods, both 21 - two very talented young players left to join Chelsea, we got a sizeable tribunal fee for them, but now Taiwo plays for Carlisle and Woods is still contracted at Chelsea but hasn't played in a single league game in his career yet.

Next example: Fabian Delph. One good but not amazing season at Leeds. Clearly had potential to be a very good player, left after one season to join Villa - apparently another sizeable fee - but 2 seasons later he's only played a handful of league games.

Finally, Jonny Howson decided to stay at Leeds. He's 22 now, and has played nearly 200 first team games. He's going to be a better player than Delph, Woods or Taiwo. Why not stay at your club and break into that team first and play some football? Only the really, really talented players like Jack Wilshire break into the first team of big clubs at 19 etc. If Kebbie even makes a sub appearances in the Copa Del Rey I'll be surprised.

 

606..... great point made!!

 

Why not stay at your club and break into that team first and play some football?.......................

GREEDY, GREEDY AGENTS.

 

The OS seems to be suggesting he moved over with his Mother anyway, not because of the Barcelona thing.

 

OS states hes re located to Spain with his mother which is the reason he has not taken up his schollarship with the club. Leeds have retained the option for compensation if he signs for another club.
After all the money the club would have spent on the Kid this is the least I would expect from them .
Looking on the posative side at least the youth set up is still working and hopefully will start to produce some results over the next season or so . However the question is would Grayson play any of the kids rather than sign there dads or grandads on a Bosman remains to be seen.

 

I'm getting a bit sick of this. The Bosman thing fine, but the minority of players signed have been 30+, compare Somma, McCormack, Bruce, Kisnorbo and Bromby (at the time), Sam, Nunez etc. with Naylor, O'Brien and erm...

 

Shame good prospect

http://www.leedsunited.com/news/20110614/elliotts-spanish-move_2247585_2375904

 

If anyone thinks he moved to spain before he know anything about barca, your so gullible its untrue.

And Delph was out for 8 months and done so well for villa when played he got another contract.

Would you stay if you knew you wouldn't get a chance.