Leeds United remain engulfed in a battle for Premier League survival amid what has been a turbulent season for the club thus far, with Sunday's 5-1 defeat to Crystal Palace having only increased the sense of doom and gloom surrounding Elland Road.
The Whites' current predicament may well be leaving the club's hierarchy ruing their decision to cash in on both Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips last summer, with the latter man, in particular, having seemingly been sorely missed at the base of the midfield.
Despite his woes at new club Manchester City – where he has made just six league appearances this season – the England international had previously been a truly influential figure back in Yorkshire, having been hailed as a "magnificent talent" by pundit Frank McAvennie last year.
Supporters may well have been longing for the 27-year-old's return after watching the abject display against the Eagles last time out, with fellow midfielder Marc Roca having been particularly 'dire' on the day, as per Leeds Live's Beren Cross, after being dribbled past on eight occasions.
While there have been murmurings that Leeds could be keen on bringing Phillips back to the club, the relegation strugglers may well already have their next version of the local hero on their hands, in the form of academy starlet, Morten Spencer.
Who is Morten Spencer?
The 19-year-old has been tipped for big things ever since signing from Sunderland back in 2019, with respected source 'The 4th Official' describing the capture as a real "coup" at the time, with the Yorkshire side seemingly beating Man City to the teenager's signature.
Since then, the youngster has shown his class in the academy ranks, notably mirroring Phillips with his ability to feature in midfield as well as at centre-back, having been deployed in both positions so far this season.
The England-born gem – who currently features for Norway's youth sides at international level – has enjoyed a standout campaign to date for Leeds after racking up 15 appearances in all competitions, including three outings in the EFL Trophy earlier in the campaign.
The former Black Cats ace showcased his ball-winning prowess in that latter competition after averaging 1.7 interceptions and one tackle per game, with Phillips also a truly effective screen in front of the back four, as he averaged 1.2 and 2.7 for the same two metrics, respectively, for the Elland Road outfit last season.
The two men also share a likeness due to their ability on the ball, with the current City man having been hailed for having an "array of passing skills" by ex-teammate Barry Douglas, while Spencer was lauded for his "superb" forward passing by Michael Skubala while featuring for Leeds' U21 side against former club Sunderland back in October.
The £140-per-week teen – who "loves a big slide tackle" according to journalist Joe Donnohue – is clearly a player who could be in line for a first-team role sooner rather than later, having only recently penned a new deal at the club until 2024.
The hope will be that Leeds supporters get to see their 'next Phillips' in action at senior level in the near future…
