Gavin Whyte is likely to join Leeds in the summer, according to Phil Hay.

The 22-year-old currently plays for Crusaders in the Northern Irish league. He made 32 appearances in the league this season with 21 goals and seven assists, which is an impressive return.

He has been linked by Sky Sports as potentially the club's first signing this summer with Leeds in need for wingers because they currently use a number of attacking midfielders who like to drift in centrally.

This congests those areas and limits their effectiveness because they struggle to stretch teams horizontally in their attacking shape.

Hay, chief football writer at the Yorkshire Evening Post, replied to a question about whether the move will happen on Twitter:

The Verdict

Whyte has a good record with the Crusaders, but the difference in quality between the Northern Irish league and the Championship is significant. Therefore, the worries that he would struggle to replicate this are well-founded.

This could be a risky signing, so Whyte needs to be seen as a long-term project rather than someone who can make an instant impact. Leeds need to also bring in a more experienced winger who can solve the short-term issues and allow Whyte the time to adjust and develop.