Champions League Club Secures Deal for 17-Year-Old Forward Who Trialed with Leeds United in 2024 – Fabrizio Romano
Young Striker Mason Cotcher, Who Trialed with Leeds United After Leaving Sunderland in 2024, Set to Join Aston Villa.
Leeds United’s recent focus on scouting youth talent has positioned them well, with several young players pushing for a spot in the senior team this season.
Among them, Mateo Joseph, Charlie Crew, James Debayo, and Luca Thomas all made strong impressions during pre-season, having joined from other clubs’ academies.
During the 2023/24 season, Leeds appeared to be making significant strides toward securing England youth international Mason Cotcher.
Cotcher, who also had trials at Arsenal and Manchester United, was offered a trial period with Leeds.
He performed impressively during his time at Thorp Arch, scoring twice in three U18 Premier League appearances, including goals against Liverpool and ironically, Sunderland—the club he is now leaving.
Despite his success on trial at Leeds, it seems Cotcher has opted to join Champions League side Aston Villa.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Villa has agreed to a three-year deal to sign Cotcher, with a fee owed to Sunderland for his development at their Academy of Light.
It’s not entirely surprising that Leeds missed out to a club like Villa, who are on an upward trajectory and competing in the Champions League.
For a player like Cotcher, the decision likely came down to choosing between joining a club with immediate top-tier opportunities or opting for a quicker path to first-team football with a Championship side like Leeds.
Either choice would have been understandable, and it’s clear that Cotcher took his time to weigh his options before making what appears to be a well-considered decision.
However, it does highlight the stark contrast in fortunes, as Villa competes in the Champions League while Leeds finds itself in the EFL, just a few years after both clubs were on a similar level following Leeds’ promotion in 2020.
