Who are Rhys Chadwick and Jayden Lienou? The Leeds United youngsters eyeing Premier League debuts at Tottenham | OneFootball

Daniel Farke could hand Leeds United debuts to academy pair Rhys Chadwick and Jayden Lienou at Tottenham Hotspur this evening after their surprise inclusion in the squad.

According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, the duo replace Noah Okafor, out with a calf strain, and Jayden Bogle, sidelined by a hamstring issue. With Leeds mathematically safe after West Ham’s defeat to Arsenal, Farke has turned to youth.

Chadwick, 18, travelled to Germany with the first team last summer and has trained regularly with the seniors. The midfielder signed his first professional deal in 2024, then new terms in January, and has five goals and three assists in 18 Premier League 2 games for the Under-23s. He has operated across midfield, right wing and centre-back, and featured with Sam Chambers in a pre-season friendly against Manchester United.

Lienou joined on a three-year deal in the summer from Manchester City, having been part of their Under-18 Premier League-winning side after earlier years at Everton. The full-back has 19 Premier League 2 outings and one assist for the Under-23s, and has also played in the National League Cup and EFL Trophy. The 18-year-old is a Wales Under-19 international known for his passing range.

Both could see minutes from the bench, although Farke will also want to extend a six-game unbeaten run, so debuts are not guaranteed. Chadwick might be likelier, able to cover Ao Tanaka or Anton Stach in midfield or Daniel James wide.

Any Lienou cameo would almost certainly be at left wing-back, where James Justin starts. With Sam Byram also available, even a place on the bench makes this a valuable step in their development.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk