Another youngster is on trial at Sheffield United, as the club officially announces the signing of academy duo Kamarl Grant and Connor Leak-Blunt.
As we reported earlier this month, Grant and Leak-Blunt joined the Blades following successful trial periods of their own. The former is a centre-back who was previously Under-18s captain at Kinetic Academy.
Meanwhile, Leak-Blunt plays in midfield and is the son of ex-Leeds United coach, Jason Blunt. The 17-year-old only signed a three-year professional contract with Leeds in July. Yet an agreement was reached to end that so he could make the switch to Bramall Lane.
Who is the latest player looking to join the Sheffield United academy?
(Photo by Erwin Spek/Soccrates/Getty Images)
The official Blades Twitter account tweeted that a trialist played in the Under-23s match against Burnley on Monday. The team sheet later revealed that player was Noah van Geenen (as tweeted by Phil Rose).
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Van Geenen played in central defence alongside Grant in the 2-0 defeat to the Clarets. But who is the Dutchman?
Aged 20, Van Geenen has been without a club since leaving Sparta Rotterdam in his native Netherlands last summer. Prior to that, the defender was also in the youth systems at ADO den Haag and Ajax.
Naturally a centre-back, Van Geenen also has the ability to play at right-back. These are two areas that manager Chris Wilder is looking to recruit in during the January transfer window.
However, whether a youngster with no first team experience would even be in Wilder’s immediate plans is doubtful.
The Blades academy, headed up by former striker Jack Lester as of July, has been busy recruiting new talent this season. As well as Grant and Leak-Blunt, Tashae Andall-Gibbons and Iliman Ndiaye have both been acquired from Rising Ballers Academy.
Prior to that, Callum Gribbin was given a contract until the end of the season following his release by Manchester United.
