Danny Mills has suggested that Leeds United defender Leif Davis has an advantage over some of the other promising young players at the club because he is left-footed.

The 19-year-old has been on the fringes of Marcelo Bielsa's first-team squad this season, having started twice in the Carabao Cup and made three substitute appearances in the Championship.

Two of those have come in the last two games, including an impressive if brief display against QPR at the start of November.

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A versatile defender, the teenager is comfortable at both left-back and centre-back.

Davis has been earmarked as someone who could break into the first team by Bielsa and he appears to be highly-rated at Elland Road as following recent performances he has been rewarded with a new long-term contract.

The 19-year-old appears to have gained the faith of the Argentine coach as he has been included in his last six consecutive matchday squads.

Speaking to Football Insider, Mills indicated that the new contract sure spur Davis on and suggested being naturally left-footed was a big advantage for the young defender.

He said: "It’s dangling the carrot in front of him. It’s an opportunity to say: ‘Look, you’ve done well, if you want to go to the next level, you’re going to have to do even better.’

"If you’re a good player and you’re left-footed, you do have an advantage. You always have done, that’s just how it is. The lefties are quite rare so if you’ve got a good one, the best thing to do is keep hold of him.”

Davis' next chance to impress could come against Luton Town in Leeds' first game after the international break.

The Verdict

Mills makes a really interesting point and he's right, the fact that Davis is left-footed does set him apart from a lot of the young players coming through at Leeds.

It seemed a smart move to offer him a new long-term deal, given that he has been on the fringes of the first team this season.

I suspect that we may see Davis play a more important role as the season wears on and the strength and depth of Bielsa's squad is really tested.