Leeds in for Cats’ starlet youngster

SUNDERLAND youngster Mason Cotcher is understood to be wanted by Championship rivals Leeds United.

According to The Telegraph, the Yorkshire club have made an offer to sign the teenage forward after a recent trial spell.

Cotcher, 17, is facing an uncertain future at the Stadium of Light and is understood to have also trained with Premier League title-chasers Arsenal.

According to the report, Cotcher is ready to leave the Black Cats, with Leeds having to pay compensation for his signature.

Leeds could be in the Premier League next season and it is likely they see Cotcher as one for the future after seeing him at close quarters.

He has spent his early years rising up through the Sunderland academy and has represented them at various youth levels.

Cotcher played a starring role in the club’s U18s side last season in the Premier League 2 and scored nine goals in 25 outings in all competitions.

He received a call-up to the first team, too, under Tony Mowbray, being named in the squad for an FA Cup game against Shrewsbury Town.

It is clear the youngster has a big future in the game with clubs like Arsenal looking at him and it will be interesting to see how he develops and what the future holds for him.

The Sunderland academy deserve plenty of credit for nurturing so many talented players and Cotcher is just another on the impressive production line.

Leeds continue to excel in the Championship promotion race alongside Ipswich Town and Leicester City with one of those clubs going to be desperately unlucky to miss out as they will have to find a route to promotion via the play-offs.