‘Good chance’ Leeds United will win race for Linfield’s Charlie Allen

The 16-year-old Linfield attacker, managed by former Whites hero David Healy, has courted interest from top clubs in England and Scotland since bursting onto the scene last year.

Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool, Manchester City and Glasgow Rangers are all among the clubs to have shown an interest in Allen, who made his senior bow aged 15 years, five months and five days, becoming the Blues’ youngest-ever debutant and capping the appearance with an assist.

He was included in Healy’s 25-man squad for a Champions League qualifier with Rosenborg and would have made competition history had he featured.

At Christmas in 2019 he starred and scored for Linfield Swifts in a Steel & Sons Cup final win over Newington, with a host of scouts in attendance.

Before the season was curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic, Allen had made seven first-team appearances, six of them as a substitute.

Sources in Belfast suggest Leeds are leading the race to sign the youngster, who can play in midfield or as a forward and the Whites feel they are in with a good chance, having tracked him for a long time.

But a deal is not thought to be imminent, with Leeds United’s playing staff, coaching staff and senior management having taken a pay deferral to safeguard the jobs of hundreds of club employees, and transfer movement on the backburner.

Jim Magilton is the elite performance director for the Irish Football Association, helping to prepare young players for the professional game.

He rates Allen very highly, as a youngster with a “real chance” to make it.

“Charlie is one of those boys that you throw him on to the park and go and ask him to play,” he told The YEP. “[He’ll] play anywhere with the same attitude and enthusiasm.

“Technically very good and physically can handle it – he is quick enough and he has a real chance.

“Great attitude, enthusiastic, and applies himself every day.

“He’s been in full-time academy from September and he’s been excellent.”

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