Sources: Fulham pull the plug on deal to sign Rory MacLeod after agreement
Fulham have pulled out of a move to sign Dundee United sensation Rory MacLeod, sources have told Football Insider.
The two clubs announced a collaboration in January 2022 which centres around the sharing of academy coaches and intelligence.
As a result, MacLeod was expected to become the first player to move between the two clubs since the agreement was struck.
The collaboration includes matches between the two clubs at academy level to help aid development and progress, and the 17-year-old was viewed highly by both clubs’ set of coaches.
MacLeod visited Fulham’s headquarters and was expected to move to Craven Cottage this summer, but the Londoners have now pulled the plug on a potential deal.
MacLeod has burst into the first team at Dundee United this season, making eight appearances in the Scottish Premiership in the 2022/23 season.
All eight of his appearances have come as brief substitute cameos, with his latest appearance a five-minute stint against Ross County back in February.
The Dundee-born forward signed his first professional deal with the club in 2021 at 15 years old.
Just one year later, he became the club’s youngest-ever player in February 2022 when he came off the bench in a 2-0 win over Motherwell.
MacLeod also has admirers within the Scottish national team, with his first call-up coming in 2021 to the Scotland Under-16s. He was promoted and called up to the Scotland Under-17s in February 2022
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