If Leeds United continue their current momentum and achieve promotion from the Championship back to the Premier League this season, then their first priority will be assembling a squad that's capable of surviving in 2024/25.
But in tandem with that, the Whites need to be thinking about their long-term future with additions for the academy, and that's why their youth scouts are hard at work. It recently emerged that Daniel Farke's side are interested in signing Bobby Wales, the Kilmarnock striker who's been on loan at third-tier Scottish club Alloa Athletic this season.
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Leeds are one of a "string" of teams who have dispatched talent-spotters to watch him in action, with Stoke and promotion rivals Ipswich also running the rule over him. The Scotland under-19 international has scored nine goals and provided three assists in 18 games this season, but Kilmarnock run the risk of losing him as he approaches the final 12 months of his contract. Intriguingly, he's not the only player at the Scottish Premiership club attracting glances from Elland Road.
Zander Craik on Leeds radar
According to The Daily Record and journalist Scott Burns, Leeds are keen on Zander Craik. They have sent scouts to his games "in recent weeks", but they face competition from Premier League clubs like Crystal Palace, Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.
Crucially, Craik is out of contract at the end of the season, which means he's currently set to depart the club as a free agent. Kilmarnock have offered him a new contract to try and prevent that from happening, with manager Derek McInnes excited about his potential. If he does go, they won't net a transfer fee per se, but they will be entitled to compensation.
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Craik hasn't made his first-team debut for Killie just yet, but he has had a couple of outings for the B-team in the Challenge Cup, and been given the opportunity to train with the senior side.
Ironically, it was actually Wales' graduation from the under-18s that allowed him to become a starting player, and assume his favoured number nine role rather than playing out wide. In a marker of his ambition and confidence, he says he wants to score 25 goals this season, and he made big strides towards that objective by netting four against Dundee United.
Rank
Player
Position
Apps
Goals
1
Marley Wilson
Left winger
10
9
=2
Josh McDonald
Left winger
14
4
=2
Lleyton Brown
Centre forward
9
4
=2
Max McFadden
Attacking midfield
9
4
=5
Harvey Vincent
Left winger
8
3
=5
Lewis Pirie
Centre-forward
10
3
=5
Harvey Vincent
Left winger
8
3
Leeds may want to pair Craik with winger Marley Wilson, who's been in magnificent form for their under-18s this term. None of their strikers at that level have been especially prolific in 2023/24, so the idea might be to strengthen the ranks with a high-potential player from elsewhere.