Newcastle and Sunderland miss out on Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United protege

19-year-old Leif Davis has been utilised on 10 occasions by the Whites boss so far this campaign after rising through the ranks at the famous Wallsend Boys Club.

But despite spending time at the same North Tyneside institution as Alan Shearer, Michael Carrick and Michael Bridges, Davis somehow failed to catch the eye of Sunderland and Newcastle.

And it looks like the two North East big-hitters may have missed a trick after the Newcastle-born left-back recently penned a new three-and-a-half-year contract at high-flying Leeds, who signed him from Morecambe's reserves last year.

Ex-Sheffield Wednesday scout Andrew Ferguson, who coached the youngster at Wallsend Boys Club, said: "Leif was one of those players you would never say he had been outstanding that day, but every week you got an eight out of 10.”

"You can see at six or eight who has the natural, dynamic ability, who can go past people. Leif was up and down, non-stop.

"He stayed under the radar: Newcastle and Sunderland should have taken him at that time. He’s always been very good."

“Age is a number. Even at 16, 17 he was good enough. He might have made mistakes in some games but he had the capacity to take it on board.

"If I could put a bet on that he’d play for England, or Wales – I think he has links on his mum’s side – I would. He will get international caps,” Ferguson added.