Leeds Announce Signing of Promising 16-Year-Old Striker Ryan Edmondson on 3-Year Contract

Leeds United have announced the signing of 16-year-old striker Ryan Edmondson from Vanarama National League North side York City.

It's crazy how fast things can change in football. Only a month ago, Edmondson was handed his first team debut for York - featuring in his side's 2-1 home victory over Brackley, and now moves to boyhood club Leeds for an undisclosed fee.

The promising young forward, born in Harrogate, has put pen to paper on a three year deal that runs through to the summer of 2021, and is set to go straight into the ​Championship side's youth setup.

The Yorkshire outfit announced the deal on Wednesday afternoon:

"​Leeds United have today completed the signing of promising forward Ryan Edmondson for an undisclosed fee." the statement reads on the club's official website.

"He will now immediately link up with Mark Jackson’s Under 18s and Carlos Corberan’s Under 23s."

It's been a tricky month for the Elland Road outfit. Having lost their last three league matches in a row, ​Leeds head into their home tie against ​Middlesbrough (managed by former boss Garry Monk) sat in tenth.

A win could see the Yorkshire outfit shoot up the table, as high as fifth. And former Leeds attacker John Hendrie claims they need to start winning ugly: 

“Leeds know they have got the flair players, some terrific players,” Hendrie told Yorkshire Evening Post.

“They have just got to start winning ugly. “With all due respect, the games they have been winning, they have been winning them in a flamboyant and cavalier manner. But they have got to scrape results too. 

“They are not scraping victories and for you to be a good team you have got to do that. You can’t always play well but you have got to find ways to win games.”