Leeds United have a strong core of young players in their current first-team squad and Daniel Farke has already shown a willingness to promote from the academy.
Who are Leeds’ most valuable academy graduates?
The Whites have brought through a number of impressive prospects through their youth set-up in recent years and could have another one on the way with Archie Gray, who has been given an opportunity by the German tactician at the age of 17.
Farke will be hoping to help the current crop of youngsters hit the heights of some of those in the table shown below, with Kalvin Phillips a regular within the England set-up.
| Player | Valuation (via Transfermarkt) |
|---|---|
| Kalvin Phillips | £27.5m |
| Pascal Struijk | £15.4m |
| Crysencio Summerville | £12.8m |
| Jack Clarke | £10.3m |
| Lewis Cook | £8.5m |
It does not always go to plan with talented young players, though, and one player whom Leeds, and manager at the time Simon Grayson, may regret their actions with is Jonny Howson, who left Elland Road before flourishing in Norfolk with Norwich City.
Which season did Jonny Howson make his Leeds debut?
The central midfielder came through the academy system and made his first-team bow for the Whites during the 2006/07 campaign as he made 11 appearances in all competitions.
He featured in nine Championship matches and scored his first senior goal against Norwich City at that level, whilst the promising ace also played once in the League Cup and the FA Cup.
Howson then established himself as a regular member of the side throughout the 2007/08 season as he played 29 League One matches and scored five goals from midfield, which included two strikes in three play-off ties as the Whites missed out on promotion to the second tier.
How many goals did Howson score for Leeds?
The English maestro went on to become a key player for Leeds over the course of a number of years and ended his career at Elland Road with 28 goals in 225 appearances in all competitions.
His best season for goals came during the 2010/11 campaign as the central midfielder caught the eye with his exceptional ability to impact the game at the top end of the pitch on a regular basis.
Howson racked up ten goals and ten assists in 46 Championship outings, to go along with one goal and one assist in four cup matches, as he proved himself to be capable of being a reliable attacking outlet from midfield.
That incredible form in front of goal came after the Yorkshire-born gem produced four goals and five assists in 45 League One appearances as Leeds won promotion back to the second tier at the end of the 2009/10 season.
They finished runners-up to Norwich that term and the Canaries ended up with back-to-back promotions as they returned to the Premier League for the 2011/12 campaign.
Howson’s fantastic performances throughout the 2010/11 term were rewarded with the captaincy in the summer of 2011 as Grayson confirmed that the academy graduate would be the new skipper as he led by example.
How much was Howson worth at Leeds?
Norwich went up to the top-flight in 2011 and eventually swooped for the central midfielder from Leeds during the 2012 January transfer window, in a move that was valued at €1.1m (£944k) by Football Transfers.
This turned out to be a big blunder from Grayson as the English midfielder’s value went on to soar throughout his time at Carrow Road, with Premier League and Championship experience in Norfolk.
It was reported at the time of the move that the club decided to cash in on him as they were unable to convince him to put pen to paper on a new contract at Elland Road and his deal was due to expire in the summer, which would have seen him depart for nothing.
Grayson may wonder, however, whether or not he did all that he could to persuade Howson that sticking around in Yorkshire was the best option for him.
Retaining his services would have been a coup for Leeds as the central star went on to enjoy a superb career with Norwich and his market value rocketed as a result of that.
How much was Howson worth at Norwich?
At the peak of his time with the Canaries, FootballTransfers rated his Expected Transfer Value (xTV) at €8.3m (£7.1m) in January 2016 which represented a staggering 655% on the €1.1m valuation at the time of his move to Carrow Road.
This means that Leeds missed out on being able to benefit from his huge progression as they cashed before they were able to see the best of his abilities.
By failing to convince him to extend his stay with his hometown club, Grayson committed a blunder and it may be one that he looks back on with regret as the potential was there for him to become a hugely valuable asset for the club – based on his soaring market value in East Anglia.
Why was Howson worth that much?
The central midfielder was exposed to regular Premier League football with Norwich and was able to showcase his talent on the biggest stage in England.
Howson racked up eight goals and six assists in 108 top-flight appearances in yellow and green to go along with eight goals and six assists in 37 games during their 2014/15 Championship promotion-winning campaign.
The former Leeds midfield general, who was once described as a “Rolls Royce” by BBC Norfolk’s Rob Butler, then caught the eye after his side’s 2016 relegation with a string of impressive displays in the second tier.
He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.94, which was the seventh-best score within the Norwich squad, and contributed with six goals and seven assists in 38 league games during the 2016/17 campaign.
His performances and experience in midfield resulted in his market value rising considerably and it is a great shame that Leeds did not benefit more from his ability as Howson was an exceptional talent from the academy ranks.
Farke is now tasked with ensuring that the club do not allow any more super prospects to slip through their grasp to go onto greater things elsewhere over the years to come, including the likes of Gray, Crysencio Summerville, Wilfried Gnonto, and Charlie Cresswell.
