We could have signed Brennan aged 16, reveals Leeds chief

LEEDS United’s director of football Victor Orta says the club tried to sign Welsh star Brennan Johnson when the forward was just 16.

Johnson has emerged as one of the brightest talents in the Championship after a stunning season under Steve Cooper, netting 12 goals in an impressive breakthrough campaign.

The 20-year-old has progressed through the ranks at the City Ground since first signing with the Reds at the age of eight and, one way or another, looks destined for Premier League stardom.

A host of top-flight clubs were linked with a move back in January, including Newcastle United and Crystal Palace. Brentford also reportedly had a bid knocked back after failing to meet Forest’s £20million valuation, while Leeds too were mentioned as possible admirers.

Johnson’s stock rose ever further with a highly accomplished showing for Wales in Tuesday night’s friendly with the Czech Republic at Cardiff City Stadium.

In an interview with Marca, Elland Road chief Orta outlined his vision for bringing young players on board to the club, adding that they made a bid to sign the winger when he was still a teenager.

“We have a project with the full support of the entire board of directors and the CEO,” he said. “I identified that we had to anticipate and develop the ‘Anticipate Project Talent’ project with my scouting group of English people, who are the best in England.

“We had to reach the player much earlier because if we expected the player to make his debut, he would have minutes in the Championship.

“Like Brennan Johnson now, he is a new Welsh international, the best young player in the English second division, he is already at 20.

“My model was to have reached Brennan Johnson when he was 16 and we tried. But it could not be.

It could have been Greenwood, Gelhardt, Lewis Bate... We have paid for these players between one and two million, so we reached about 20 players”.”