Statement released as Leeds United confirm defender transfer and contract length
The Nigerian international defender will initially join up with the Leeds United academy set up.
Leeds United have confirmed the signing of 18-year-old Nigerian defender Leonard Ngenge.
The YEP reported earlier this month that Ngenge’s move to West Yorkshire was set to go through following a pre-contract agreement. The teenager recently posted an Instagram story of himself in what appeared to be a Thorp Arch dressing room wearing this season’s Leeds training gear and holding a pair of boots.
As expected, Ngenge will initially join up with the academy after signing an 18-month contract. The towering defender has played senior football in his home country of Nigeria with Ikorodu City and Remo Stars, while he is also a fully-fledged, senior international with two caps.
A statement from the club read: “Leeds United are pleased to announce the signing of Leonard Ngenge, who joins the club’s Academy after penning a deal until the end of the 2026/27 season. The defender makes the move to West Yorkshire from his native Nigeria, having made seven appearances in all competitions this term for Remo Stars FC.
“The centre-back has featured twice for his country at senior level, making his debut in a clash with Senegal last year before also facing Sudan. Everyone at Leeds United would like to welcome Leonard to the club, where he will link up with the Academy setup.”
Leeds’ interest in Ngenge has been known for some time, with reports last year suggesting the defender would head to Thorp Arch upon turning 18 in September. The sporting director of his former club, Ikorodu City in Nigeria, then virtually confirmed the news in March, telling All Nigerian Soccer: “Ngenge has an existing deal with Leeds United, it’s a pre-contract.
“By August he should be joining Leeds. He was scouted in Nigeria and then invited to Leeds for further training. He came back like two weeks ago from Leeds. That should be his second visit to Leeds. He is being signed as a player for the future; they are waiting for him to turn 18 years.”
Ngenge instead joined Remo Stars for a brief period but was still expected to make the move across to Leeds at some point. The teenager is expected to join up with Scott Gardner’s Under-21s, where he will compete for minutes alongside the likes of Jacob Howard, Reuben Lopata-White and Louis Enahoro-Marcus in central defence.