Teenage striker Oliver Boast has confirmed his Leeds United exit with a move to Spurs on the cards.
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Leeds United academy prospect Oliver Boast has confirmed his decision to ‘start a new chapter’ after eight years rising through the ranks at Thorp Arch.
Boast looks set to join Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur this summer, with The Athletic initially reporting Leeds will receive a compensation fee for their teenage striker. The 16-year-old made debuts for the Whites Under-18s and Under-21s last season, first turning out for the latter in April while he was still only 15 years old.
As per Football Association (FA) rules, Leeds will be due compensation for the time and resources they have put into Boast, which can either be decided between both clubs or through a tribunal. The Athletic reported last month that the former avenue had been taken with a seven-figure fee agreed.
Boast joined Leeds as an eight-year-old and has developed through the age groups right up to under-21 level. Unlike his fellow 16-year-old striker Harry Gray, however, a first-team debut never arrived and he now looks set to join Harry’s brother Archie in north London.
In a heartfelt post on Instagram, complete with pictures throughout his young career, Boast wrote: “After 8 years at Leeds United, it’s now time for me to move on and start a new chapter.
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“I’ve been lucky enough to share some amazing moments with great teammates and the memories we shared will stay with me forever. A big thank you to everyone at Leeds who has helped me over the years - I wish the club all the best for the future!”
Leeds United academy bearing fruit in two ways
Boast looks set to be the latest academy prospect to leave Leeds before making a first-team debut in recent years, the most notable of which was Finlay Gorman. The midfielder joined Manchester City last season for an initial £1.5m, British record for a 15-year-old, and reports at the time suggested a deal could be worth up to £5m if certain add-ons are met.
Neither Boast nor Gorman made inroads towards the first-team picture at Leeds, something fellow Teenager Gray has managed to do over the past year or so. The striker got his competitive debut against Stoke City in April last season and has already been involved this summer, coming off the bench during Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Manchester United.
Sam Chambers, Charlie Crew and Rhys Chadwick were also involved at the Strawberry Arena in Stockholm as Daniel Farke gave valuable experience to a host of young prospects. It’s unclear how involved each of the aforementioned quartet will be once the proper stuff gets going next month, with little opportunity for developing youth during a likely relegation battle.
Leeds have two more friendlies, this time behind closed doors, to look forward to in Germany before hosting Villarreal at Elland Road early next month. A meeting with AC Milan in Dublin is likely to see Farke move towards his strongest possible XI in what will be their final friendly before the 2025/26 Premier League campaign gets underway at home to Everton on August 18.