Sporting director confirms Leeds United have a pre-contract agreed to sign exciting 17-year-old

Despite the uncertainty both on the pitch and upstairs in the board room, that has not stopped Leeds United making moves in the transfer market ahead of the summer.

Angus Kinnear has been confirmed as leaving the club after an eight-year spell and will be joining Everton as part of an exciting new era for Jack Harrison’s loan side, after The Friedkin Group’s £400m takeover.

Experienced Peter McCormick has come in as a new director to help replaces the loss of Kinnear in the board room. Defeat to Portsmouth on Sunday has thrown the promotion race wide open, on the pitch.

Yet, Leeds are preparing for a busy summer and while any big first-team signings will have to wait given it depends which league The Whites are in – The 49ers are said to have rubber-stampted a pre-contract.

Leeds United are set to sign teenage defender Leonard Ngenge

The sporting director of top-tier Nigerian side Ikorodu City has confirmed that there is an “existing” deal in place for 17-year-old defender Leonard Ngenge to join Leeds in the summer, when he turns 18.

FIFA rules prohibit players joining English clubs under the age of 18 but by the time his contract with the top-tier outfit expires and his pre-contract is struck, the left-footed defender will have celebrated his 18th.

Ngenge has already played 18 senior games for Ikorodu in Nigeria and now, Leeds have agreed a deal to sign him this summer. Ikorodu’s sporting director, Wale Quadri, confirmed the news to All Nigeria Soccer.

Ngenge has an existing deal with Leeds United, it’s a pre-contract. By August he should be joining Leeds. He was scouted in Nigeria and then invited to Leeds for further training,” Quadri told All Nigeria Soccer.

“He came back like two weeks ago from Leeds. That should be his second visit to Leeds.