'Level above' - Delighted manager's bold Championship claim after Leeds United loan deal agreed
Charlie Crew's loan return to Doncaster Rovers was confirmed on Tuesday with the Leeds United youngster set for League One football.
Doncaster Rovers manager Grant McCann insists Leeds United loan arrival Charlie Crew is good enough to play in the Championship right now.
Crew will be plying his trade in League One for the next 10 months after agreeing a season-long return to Doncaster on Tuesday. The 19-year-old spent the second-half of last season at the Eco-Power Stadium, playing 13 times as Rovers won the League Two title.
Despite having just four first-team minutes under his belt at Leeds, Crew is already a full Wales international and in last season’s loan gained valuable experience of senior football. The step into League One is another challenge for the midfielder but Doncaster boss McCann expects him to pass it with flying colours.
“You saw how important he was for us during the run-in last season,” McCann said. “Charlie can play at this level no problem. He can probably play at the level above at this moment in time.
“I’m pleased he’s here with us and I’m delighted that Leeds have trusted us again with one of their best young players. I’m hoping this loan spell can go well for Charlie.”
For the second consecutive summer, Crew had been involved in Daniel Farke’s pre-season preparations and came off the bench against Manchester United, SC Verl and Paderborn. The teenager was unlikely to enjoy a similar role once the 2025/26 campaign kicked off but remains highly regarded at Thorp Arch.
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And Crew is highly regarded across the EFL too, with Doncaster not thought to be the only side keen on securing his services for a year. But a delighted McCann pushed hard to get the youngster across from Leeds and suggested there was plenty of League One competition.
Doncaster boss on Charlie Crew’s arrival from Leeds United
"We’ve been chasing Charlie all summer - probably from the last game of the season at Notts County," the Rovers boss added. "We made it clear to Charlie and to Leeds that we’d love to have him back.
“He's highly thought of at Leeds. He’s been around their pre-season programme, played in some of the games and went away on the trip with them so we had to be patient to get him.
"I’m delighted that he’s chosen us because there was some big clubs in League One chasing him but Charlie and Leeds have decided this is the best place for him to play his football."
Doncaster kicked their League One campaign off with a 1-0 win at home to Exeter City last weekend, with Crew theoretically able to make his second debut at Mansfield Town on Saturday. That will depend on the teenager’s match fitness, however, given Leeds returned for pre-season later than most EFL clubs due to their Premier League campaign starting on August 18.
Others are expected to follow Crew out the door at Leeds, namely Joe Gelhardt who is in continued talks over a second loan spell at Hull City. Isaac Schmidt has reportedly agreed a deal in principle to join Werder Bremen for the 2025/26 campaign while Sam Greenwood, Darko Gyabi, Patrick Bamford and Mateo Joseph could also leave.