A youthful 18-year-old living in Scotland has caught the notice of several Championship sides.
A number of Championship clubs are looking into promising forward Bobby Wales. According to the Daily Record, the Kilmarnock player has piqued the interest of a number of English clubs while on loan at Alloa Athletic.
Scouts from several second-tier clubs have been keeping an eye on the 18-year-old ahead of a potential summer transfer.
The striker made his Scottish Premiership debut with Kilmarnock last year, appearing 10 times in two starts as the team finished 10th in the table. He was loaned out to Alloa in September and has impressed with recent performances.
Bobby Wales’ Championship Interest
It has been stated that Ipswich Town, Stoke City, and Leeds United have all kept an eye on the adolescent.
The forward has seven goals in his previous eight Alloa appearances, which scouts from all three clubs are sure to witness.
After making his debut for Kilmarnock last season, the Premiership club decided to loan him away so that he could get more regular playing time.
This appears to have improved his development, as evidenced by recent performances that demonstrate his developing potential.
However, this has piqued the interest of several Championship clubs, potentially leading to a summer transfer.
Leeds and Ipswich are both vying for promotion to the Premier League this season, which would be an appealing prospect for a talented, young striker like Wales.
Stoke are having a more difficult season and have decided to break ways with technical director Ricky Martin as a result of their unsatisfactory results.
It remains to be seen whether Kilmarnock is willing to part ways with Wales this summer, or what kind of fee would be required to persuade them otherwise.
The forward is under contract with the Scottish side until the summer of 2025.
Leeds United league position
| Championship Table (As it stands February 21st) | ||||
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | Leicester City | 33 | 43 | 78 |
| 2 | Leeds United | 33 | 35 | 69 |
| 3 | Ipswich Town | 33 | 21 | 69 |
| 4 | Southampton | 33 | 24 | 67 |
| 5 | West Brom | 33 | 17 | 55 |
| 6 | Hull City | 33 | 7 | 54 |
| 7 | Coventry City | 33 | 14 | 51 |
| 8 | Norwich City | 33 | 8 | 51 |
Following their stunning win over Rotherham United on Tuesday night, Leeds and Ipswich are currently level on points in the Championship table.
Omari Hutchinson’s late goal secured all three points for the Tractor Boys, putting them third in the standings.
The Whites lead Kieran McKenna’s side by a goal differential heading into this weekend’s round of action.
Meanwhile, Stoke sit 19th in the Championship, with Steven Schumacher’s side only three points clear of the relegation zone.
Wales is showing potential.
Wales has had a really promising run of form, scoring seven goals in his last eight games. It’s no wonder that Championship clubs are paying close attention to his development, since he’s shown his abilities while on loan at Alloa.
It remains to be seen whether Kilmarnock will be persuaded to cash in on Wales this summer, but with his contract expiring in 2025, they may be willing to sell.
Otherwise, they risk losing him for nothing a year later, which they will undoubtedly want to avoid because he may be extremely valuable to them in a sale.
