Why Leeds United are so keen to keep Bailey Peacock-Farrell at Elland Road

LEEDS United feel they will be in safe hands if they can keep Bailey Peacock-Farrell at Elland Road.
Leeds United goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

Picture: Jonathan GawthorpeLeeds United goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
Leeds United goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

The young goalkeeper is considering signing a new two-year contract at Elland Road as head coach Steve Evans ponders over whether to field him in Saturday’s game against Charlton Athletic.

United are understood to have approached Peacock-Farrell with an improved deal which would tie him down until 2018 and keep him at the club beyond the end of a his existing, short-term agreement.

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The 19-year-old received a 12-month contract from Leeds last summer, his first professional deal, after completing a scholarship in their academy, and United are in talks about extending his stay following Peacock-Farrell’s emergence this season.

Evans has used him as understudy to first-choice Marco Silvestri since November, promoting him from the development squad after Leeds lost Ross Turnbull to a broken ankle and allowed USA Under-23 international Charlie Horton to return to America for family reasons.

Peacock-Farrell was given his senior debut against Queens Park Rangers earlier this month after Silvestri was ruled out of that fixture by suspension. The teenager was on the verge of a clean sheet until a late Tjaronn Chery penalty earned QPR a 1-1 draw.

Evans said last week that he would look to field Peacock-Farrell again before the end of the campaign and relegated Charlton come to Elland Road this weekend on a run of five matches without a win.

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“He’ll hopefully get involved to start a game before the end of the season,” Evans said.

Peacock-Farrell’s decision on a new contract is likely to depend in part on his prospects of first-team involvement next season.

Former Chelsea goalkeeper Turnbull is still recovering from his ankle injury, but he has another 12 months on his deal and should be fit for the start of pre-season training in July.

Silvestri, meanwhile, is two seasons into a four-year contract and has been established firmly as first choice since moving to England from Chievo in 2014.