I've not seen him play - only in highlight clips - but he's getting some absolute rave reviews. I can certainly see Albion taking a look at him in pre-season with an eye to keeping him. It's a bit of a leap of L1 to the Prem but it's not an insurmountable gap.
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[Albion] Marc Leonard - 16yr old from Hearts
- Thread starter Postman Pat
- Start date
Nobby Cybergoat
Well-known member
- Jul 19, 2021
- 7,028
Well you have to think that Hinsh made the leap having only PL2 experience under his belt.
Sanchez came in and impressed having only played lower leagues.
I don't think the Championship / Arnhem / SPL season is always necessary if the player is good enough.
We're obviously short of a midfielder. Maybe we'll go out and buy in the summer, but as we know, recruitment is a random and pricey process. Bringing through loaned youngsters is a process we're more in control of
GT49er
Well-known member
If anything that's a bit disappointing - from the way he has flourished on loan I would have hoped for at least the Championship next season - but on loan, still with a view to a place at Brighton.
At the very least I would have hoped for him to have another pre-season here, before any final decision is made.
Mancgull
Well-known member
Expect we’ll sell to a Championship club but include a high (30%) sell on clause to protect against a sharp rise in value.
Albion Robster
Well-known member
Remember Jenson Weir? That fella who got a few minutes in the pre-season friendlies in the States last summer.
He hasn’t really kicked on and developed since he joined us. I guess he’ll be moved on in the summer as well.
Another young CM, Jack Sprong, how’s he getting on at Worthing?
He hasn’t really kicked on and developed since he joined us. I guess he’ll be moved on in the summer as well.
Another young CM, Jack Sprong, how’s he getting on at Worthing?
GT49er
Well-known member
Weir has had two excellent loans in League1, at Cambridge and Morecambe. As documented on the Loanee Tracker thread though, he's had very little game time this season, first at Blackpool and latterly at Port Vale. Spong is not one of ours any more - he was released last summer.
Nobby Cybergoat
Well-known member
- Jul 19, 2021
- 7,028
Shame but I guess we'll have lots of not quites whilst we're playing in the top 10 of English football and paying £30m for players.
Let's get the lad a decent club and send him off with our best wishes and if he turns out to be a megastar in 5 years, let's not go beating the club up about it.
Let's get the lad a decent club and send him off with our best wishes and if he turns out to be a megastar in 5 years, let's not go beating the club up about it.
scooter1
How soon is now?
I saw him play for the 23’s a couple of years ago and he was the standout player that day. I thought he might have a future with us, but it seems the club have already decided that he’s not the right fit for our style of play. id agree with @GT49er, and would have hoped for a Championship loan next season, before possible integration into our first team squad
GT49er
Well-known member
That would seem a bit strange, bearing in mind that he was the player with the closest match to Caicedo's stats!
Ooh it’s a corner
Well-known member
I feel similarly about Leonard and Andrew Moran - both had massive potential I thought but maybe it just is that we’ve moved further on in our own ambition
- Jun 27, 2012
- 13,914
He's 22 now and been with us since he was 16. Looks like Albion have made the decision and want to maximise his fee - given his contract runs out in 15 months. Albion have ( i think) 15 first team players on loan, and then the first team squad has about 30 players and then there are dozens more coming through the u21s and u18s and the younger ages.
The way that Albion model works is that pretty much all of those loanees - bar a handful - are never coming back. Its not a surprise, its more of a surprise when they're retained.
Here are the loanees. Doubt more than a couple , if that, will be in the first team squad next season. - Undav ? ,Sarmiento ?
Current Season Long Loans: Sima (Rangers), Scherpen (2025/Sturm Graz), Koslowski (2026/Vitesse Arnhem), Leonard (2025+ 1 yr/Northampton), Rushworth (Swansea),, Undav (2026/Stuttgart), Moran (2027/Blackburn), Alzate ( Standard Liege), Sarmiento (2027 + 1 year option/Ipswich), Ayari (2027/Blackburn), Beadle (2028/Sheff Weds), Mazilu (Vitesse Arnhem), Dahoud (2027./Stuttgart), Turns (2025+1 Crewe Alexandra), Samuels (Fleetwood Town)
I think Sarmiento already has a further loan arranged at Ipswich next season if they go up to the PL.
- Jun 27, 2012
- 13,914
Deciding to sell him - if thats what we're doing - doesn't imply Albion haven't had a "good look". They keep a pretty good eye on all their loanees, watching them face to face, and tracking their numbers, fitness and mental health as Leonard implies in that Athletic piece. - "one of the best clubs at looking after their loan players"
- Jun 27, 2012
- 13,914
Yep. Saw the rumour. I think thats my point. - i The goalkeepers look to be the most promising (Rushworth, Beadle) but playing regularly is best for their development. Who else ? RDZ sounds bullish about Undav - but even that looks like a long shot given whats involved (fees, Champions League football, family, Albion's coach).
GT49er
Well-known member
Seventeen actually - there's Weir and Hinchy too (full list here https://www.northstandchat.com/threads/2023-24-loanee-tracker-thread.402563/ ).
Yes, of course most loanees (and most youth players for that matter) will be sold or released - we all know and understand that's how it works. But a few do make it through to the first team - and Leonard is/was one of those a lot of people thought (hoped) might be one of the few, hence the disappointment if the report is correct. Not the fact that most loanees won't ever be first teamers back with us - that's a given.
- Jun 27, 2012
- 13,914
Who do you think is the most likely amongst the current crop ?
Do you think our loan manager just reads match reports or do you reckon they might watch the occasional game that Leonard plays?