da doce： Leeds United have a host of academy talent all of which are awaiting their first team opportunity, however, their status as a perennially relegation-battling outfit of late makes it harder to promote youngsters.
da imperador bet： To unleash such malleable starlets into the troubles that a fight for survival offers is to risk their entire careers, as it truly is a sink-or-swim environment. Some might relish the opportunity and play a huge role in avoiding the drop, whilst others could wilt and never recover from the confidence dent it would bring.
Therefore, Javi Gracia will likely be hesitant to promote any of the Whites' future stars unless it is absolutely necessary, or unless they have proven their ability to perform at the required level.
From the academy, Darko Gyabi stands out as the asset who is most likely to soon break into the senior outfit. The classy central midfielder, who signed for a £5m fee in the summer, boasts immense potential and has shown glimpses of his talent throughout a fine year for the U21s.
However, going about his business quietly in the background has been Charlie Allen, who merits a call-up just as much as the former Manchester City man.
Who is Charlie Allen?
With 15 Premier League 2 appearances to his name this season, Gyabi has contributed two goals and three assists as the star of the engine room. This has led to three senior cameos in various competitions, including his Premier League debut too.
However, all the while Allen has played just one more game in the league yet boasts two goals and four assists. Despite this, and the fact the 19-year-old has been around the club far longer than his teammate, a senior appearance he still lacks.
That is not to suggest that the midfield maestro is not highly rated, it just seems that the teenager has perhaps been overshadowed by such a big-money addition to the youth setup.
His international elite performance director, Jim Magilton, clearly envisions a bright future for the versatile ace, as he claimed: "Charlie is one of those kids you can play anywhere and he’ll probably still be the best player on the pitch. He can play right back, central midfield, on either wing, at No10 or at centre forward."
This unparalleled ability to deputise in any given role is truly priceless and should give Allen the edge in the battle with Gyabi.
With a sparkling future laid out in front of him, this particular academy gem has proven that he could be one of the few who would swim, were he just handed an opportunity to prove his worth to Gracia as they enter the run-in.