Leeds United has very high expectations for this youngster.
Leeds United would have been relieved to emerge victorious from a seven-goal thriller at Middlesbrough on Monday night, with Wilfried Gnonto performing admirably throughout.
The Italian’s confident strike to make it 3-2 on the night, despite appearing to be offside, was critical in his team’s victory and return to second place in the ever-changing Championship standings.
The Whites cannot ensure that their former FC Zurich hero will remain at Elland Road this summer, with many teams reigniting their interest in Gnonto as the season comes to a finish.
Leeds will be hoping that this up-and-coming youngster can one day become their next Gnonto, as the promising prospect is the same age as the popular winger.
Charlie Allen’s statistics at the youth level
Charlie Allen joined the Whites as a wide-eyed 16-year-old from Northern Ireland, with Manchester City reportedly interested in the starlet at the time. Since then, he has had to wait patiently in the background for a first-team opportunity.
Around the time of Allen’s huge move to West Yorkshire, current Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton regarded the promising midfielder as a “excellent” talent and “enthusiastic” about succeeding.
Since moving from Linfield in 2020, Allen has played 82 games for both the U18s and the U21s, with his performances for the U21s particularly impressive.
The 20-year-old has six goals in 54 games at this age level, as well as eight assists from a variety of positions.
Gnonto’s preferred position is down the right side, where he causes havoc for Championship defences every time he begins, but Allen can also play centrally in midfield and right-back if necessary.
Farke will appreciate his raw gem’s versatility, with the Whites in need of another utility player following Stuart Dallas’ unfortunate retirement announcement, but the German manager will want to test Allen out in the senior ranks down the right eventually if Gnonto departs.
Allen is Gnonto’s replacement.
Allen has thrived this season in Premier League 2, scoring three of his four goals from this position in the U21 ranks.
Playing with Charlie Crew and Joe Snowdon and picking up an assist against Derby County recently, the future at Elland Road seems very bright if these young players can develop into first-team stars over time.
Allen will not immediately fill the void left by Gnonto, and Leeds will undoubtedly seek an immediate replacement for the 20-year-old if they sell the Italian for a fee in excess of £30 million, but Farke has had incredible success this season in integrating previously unproven young players into the first team.
He hopes Allen can be his future Archie Gray, as well as his next Gnonto, given Gray’s success in the men’s game this season.
Two years younger than Allen, the breakthrough 18-year-old wonder has 47 appearances in all competitions this season and is critical to his team’s promotion prospects.
Gnonto is as vital as Gray, but with Leeds’ conveyor belt producing top starlet after top starlet, the 5 foot 7 striker may be replaced by another brilliant Whites academy product very soon.
