According to a report by the Leicester Mercury, Leicester City are said to be keeping tabs on former Leeds United youth winger Billy Whitehouse.
Whitehouse originally joined Leeds United’s youth set-up in August 2016, signing a one-year deal after joining from Doncaster Rovers.
Whitehouse made nine appearances for Rovers’ first-team before his transfer to Elland Road. However, his only first-team appearance came as United crashed out of the FA Cup against Sutton United at Gander Green Lane. It was only the second time in the club’s history that the Whites had lost to non-league opposition.
Before that game, Whitehouse had experienced time out of the club, featuring for Leeds’ local non-league neighbours Guiseley on a three-month loan deal. His move there was welcomed, at the time, by Jason Blunt, then in charge of the Under-23s at Leeds who said: “Billy creates chances and his work ethic is good. He is an example for the younger lads in the group. It is not just about technically how good you are – it is about desire, attitude in and around the training ground, manners, the whole package and Billy has it.”
Yet, his time at the Whites was destined to last just the year of the deal bringing him from Doncaster to Elland Road. With United looking at their 2017/18 retained list, Whitehouse announced on Twitter that he’d be leaving the club.
Leave he did, the youngster initially making the move to Alfreton Town, before a month later joining Shaw Lane who play in the Northern Premier League’s Premier Division. It wasn’t long before he again found himself on the move, this time landing at Tadcaster Albion in January of this year.
It is the form of the former Leeds United and Doncaster player that has no doubt alerted Premier Leicester City and their manager Claude Puel. who admits that the Foxes’ squad needs both strengthening and balancing.
Quoted in the Leicester Mercury article, Puel says: “I think it is better for some players to leave the club, but for me the balance of the team is important. I can’t comment on speculation. For me the transfer window is far away, but it is more important we have a lot of competition in my squad.”
Further on in the article, the Mercury say that one of those in Leicester’s sights is Whitehouse. They say that the former Leeds United youngster “is believed to be on City’s radar,” before continuing to add that “the 20-year-old would go into the Development squad.”
