Former Leeds United academy coach Simon Collins has revealed that Barnsley and Hull City chose not to sign Ronaldo Vieira before the Whites moved in for the starlet.
The 18-year-old, who joined Leeds’ youth set-up from York-based i2i Football Academy in 2015, has been featured heavily by new Leeds boss Garry Monk in the present campaign.
After impressing as a trialist, he earned a scholarship with Leeds, with Barnsley and Hull keeping their tabs on the teenager.
However, the duo decided against signing him as Leeds moved in swiftly to snap the starlet up.
Recounting the incident, Collins told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “Barnsley said no. With Hull it was more down to the fact that they weren’t willing to pay for his travel.
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“I think they were keen but it wasn’t really possible for him to get there without some help.
“York City wanted him but they didn’t have an Under-21s team and by that stage we felt that he would be able to play in the Championship anyway.
“Leeds took him on, liked him straight away, and signed him up.”
Vieira has thus far made 22 appearances in all competitions for Leeds in the present campaign, scoring once, with his sole goal coming in the 3-2 win over Norwich City in the Championship in November.
The midfielder, whose brother Romario is also on Leeds' books, is contracted with the Yorkshire giants until the summer of 2019.
