Leeds United sign Chelsea starlet Lewis Bate for £1.2 million.

Leeds United have completed the signing of Chelsea midfielder Lewis Bate, beating competition from the likes of Liverpool and West Ham among others.

The Whites will pay just £1.2 million for the talented 18-year-old who had just 12 months left on his contract at Stamford Bridge. It’s said that Bate decided on a move to Leeds for a better chance at breaking into the first team than at any other club he could’ve played for this season - and we all know what Chelsea’s policy is on young players.

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 joins Sean McGurk and Junior Firpo in the camp of new signings as Leeds work towards getting their business done before the pre-season opener at Guisley (27/07)

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