Leeds United agree deal for Chelsea youngster Lewis Bate

Leeds United have agreed a £1.5 million deal for Chelsea youngster Lewis Bate, with contract signing and medical on the way today (21/07/21).

The Whites have quickly blasted past the competition for Bate’s signature as a host of Premier League clubs, including Liverpool, chased the 18-year-old’s services this summer.

Bate is a highly regarded young midfielder who tends to play as a holding-midfielder but can push into that ‘number 8’ spot too. Not only that, but he’s a leader, captaining Chelsea’s youth side last season and impressing throughout the season.

The 2020/21 season saw Bate become a regular for Chelsea’s under-23 side who finished fourth in The Premier League 2. A hat-trick of wins in December saw Bate win the PL2 Player of the Month award. By the end of his first full season as a pro, Bate made 26 Academy outings and was an unused sub for the men’s team during an FA Cup tie against Barnsley in February 2021.

Just from watching clips of Bate online, you can see a nippy, combative and clever midfielder with a great eye for a pass and a lot of fighting spirit. Exactly what we’re looking for in a young player, hungry to break into the first team.

Bate is likely to join the Leeds under-23s this season as they embark on their debut season in The Premier League 2 Division One.