Leeds United’s plans for the summer transfer window have been thrown into disarray after UEFA announced that this year’s European Under 17s Championship was off, while the U19s tournament is postponed indefinitely.
That’s according to Football Insider, who claim Director of Football Victor Orta planned to send the club’s scouting department to the tournaments with a view to identifying future stars that could be nurtured at Thorp Arch.
United are still yet to finalise the club’s approach for the upcoming market as we sweat over whether or not the 2019/20 Championship season will be concluded and if not, will we still secure promotion into the Premier League.
Playing top-flight football next season would require a vastly different approach to the summer market, as Orta would need to acquire ready-to-go players that can supplement those already at Marcelo Bielsa’s disposal.
As for another year in the Championship, that would see Orta have to readdress his spending, as the club would likely not be able to afford the same calibre of targets while those interested in a move to Elland Road may also alter.
One constant would have been to improve the youth ranks in West Yorkshire, but that has now taken a step back with Orta potentially unable to monitor the emerging stars of the game in the premier European youth tournaments.
UEFA decided to cancel the European U17s Championship and postpone the U19s tournament following a video conference with the general secretaries of all 55 member associations, with measures being taken amid the global coronavirus pandemic.
The decision to only postpone the U19s tournament, which was scheduled for May, has been taken as the competition is a qualifying event for the next FIFA U20 World Cup.
UEFA have also cancelled the Women’s U19s Championship, and likewise postponed the Women’s U17s tournament until further notice as the competition is a qualifying event for the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup.
Orta will probably now be waiting anxiously for news on when the rescheduled UEFA U19s tournament takes place, knowing the future stars who could play a part in Carlos Corberan’s Under 23s will be competing in the event.
In other Leeds United news, a Marcelo Bielsa mainstay has backed the English Football League to make a “very painful” decision.