Leeds United academy boss Adam Underwood has singled out teenager Alfie McCalmont and praised his “fantastic” progress in earning his first-team debut this season.

The 19-year-old made his debut as a substitute in the 3-0 victory against Salford City in the first round of the Carabao Cup and made his first start a fortnight later in the second-round loss to Stoke City.

The central midfielder has developed through the academy system at the Yorkshire club and made his senior international debut for Northern Ireland last week.

Speaking to LUTV, Underwood singled out McCalmont as having made particularly impressive progress.

He said: “Ultimately, every academy exists to progress the players as far as they can go and for us, that is our first team.

“We have high hopes for lots of our younger players. We have seen Alfie McCalmont transition this season already and make his debut, which is fantastic for him.

“He joins Jamie (Shackleton) and the other lads who are in and around that environment on a regular basis.”

The Verdict

It has been a big start to the season for McCalmont, who has had his first taste of senior football for the Whites and for his country. He will undoubtedly be hoping to get a few more opportunities in the 2019/20 campaign.

He is likely looking at players like Shackleton and Jack Clarke, who transitioned from the academy to the senior side and saw some significant first-team minutes last season, and will be hoping to follow in their footsteps.

The duo’s experiences indicate Marcelo Bielsa is more than happy to put his faith in young players, which is a huge boost for McCalmont’s hopes.

It's a real positive for the club to see yet another player ready to step up from the academy to first-team and even international level.