Exclusive: Leeds join Stoke, Norwich in scouting highly rated Port Vale starlet

Leeds United, Stoke City and Norwich City are among a number of Premier League and Championship clubs tracking coveted Port Vale youngster Karl Agnero, TEAMtalk can exclusively reveal.

Agnero has been earning rave reviews at Vale Park with a number of eye-catching displays for the club’s U18s side. The 16-year-old was rewarded for his meteoric rise by making his first-team debut in the EFL Trophy clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers U21s last month.

Sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that Leeds, Stoke and Norwich, plus several other clubs from the top flight and the Championship, have been alerted to Agnero’s huge potential and have been making regular checks on the all-action midfielder.

Port Vale have a growing reputation of developing young players from their academy with Baylee Dipepa featuring for England’s U18s while at the club before moving to Southampton on transfer deadline day this summer.

Leeds are eager to build a strong base of youth in their academy setup by signing young players who they can eventually develop into first-team stars for the Yorkshire club.

Leeds see Agnero as a potential star in the making and they are ready to steal a march on their rivals by stepping up their interest in the exciting teenager.

The Whites have shown their ability to develop young players into top talent through the rise of Archie Gray. The 18-year-old, who can operate as either a right-back or central midfielder, made his senior Leeds debut in August 2023 and went on to play 52 times in all competitions last term.

Gray’s classy performances saw Tottenham Hotspur register their interest and they subsequently paid Leeds £30million (€36m / US$40m) to sign him in the summer.

Should Leeds enter formal talks to sign Agnero, then the starlet could look up to Gray as an example of how to shine at Elland Road before joining a top Premier League side.