Leeds United sign exciting talent Mateo Joseph Fernandez as Ryan Edmondson swaps loan clubs

The 18-year-old has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract after joining from Espanyol for an undisclosed fee, but although they could arguably do with another senior forward in their first-team squad, Fernandez is part of their policy of adding players for the future, and will initially work with the under-23s.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Ryan Edmondson has joined Port Vale on loan after finding his opportunities at Fleetwood Town limited.

Highly-rated Spaniard Fernandez is out of contract in the summer, but Leeds have moved now to sign him, with some in the Spanish media suggesting recently his club were willing to sell for £1m, £300,000 less than his release clause.

Liverpool, Man City and Barcelona were all said to be interested in a player with English parents who is yet to play senior football but has hugely impressed at junior level.

Since achieving Category A academy status in the summer of 2020, Leeds have signed a host of talented young players beneath their first team. One of them, Joe Gelhardt - a £1m signing from Wigan Athletic - is now supplementing the first-team forward line in the ongoing absence of Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo.

The 19-year-old already has a goal and an assist in his maiden season at Premier League level.

Cody Drameh, Crysencio Summerville and Sam Greenwood are others who have made their top-flight debuts this season after being signed as development players, with injury problems hitting the Elland Road squad hard, whilst Charlie Cresswell is a player they have honed from a young age.

Edmondson will now continue his development elsewhere after a frustrating spell at Highbury.

The 20-year-old moved there in the summer to continue his development with regular League One football, but found it hard to come by. Of his 17 appearances, only four were league starts. Both his goals came in the Football League Trophy.

None have come under Stephen Crainey, who replaced former Leeds player and manager Simon Grayson as manager in late November.

So Leeds have taken the decision to cut short his loan and send him instead to Vale Park, where he will be involved in a League Two promotion push.

The Valiants are sixth in the table, four points behind third-placed Sutton United with two games in hand. The teams from fourth to seventh will qualify for the play-offs.

The York City youth product has played twice for Leeds's first team, as a Championship substitute against Queens Park Rangers and Birmingham City in 2018.