‘They’ve got to tie him down’ – Whelan Exclusive: Leeds have just weeks to keep big talent
Noel Whelan has urged Leeds United to tie defensive starlet Oliver Casey down to a new deal and then send him out on loan next season.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-striker claimed that his former club are running out of time to tie down the soon out-of-contract rising star.
Casey, 19, was handed his Championship debut by Marcelo Bielsa during the 2-0 win over Huddersfield in December, but has not featured for the first team since.
And the teenager’s current deal with the Whites expires this summer, casting doubt over whether he will be handed a new one.
But Whelan believes that his sizeable potential makes him a worthwhile investment.
Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “It depends how much the club want him.
“He’s a young player with a lot of potential, and when you have that at a football club it’s important because it’s an investment for the future.
“Look, if we’re in the Premier League, he’s not going to get a game, let’s be honest. We’re going to need more experience in those key positions. But he could go out on loan to a very good Championship club.
“That is the investment you make. You pay the money for a player in contracts to see a better player in a year’s time.
“Right now, if they really want him, they’ve got to tie him down. There’s not long to go.”
Casey put pen to paper on his first professional contract back in 2017, and has since become a fixture of the United’s U23s setup.
His first team debut ultimately amounted to a five minute cameo during the away victory over the Terriers before Christmas.
In other Leeds United news, Whites offered new hope Ben White will remain next season.