Leeds United have signed young defender Alfie Cresswell up to his first professional contract just days after his elder brother left the club.

Confirming the news via their official website on July 17, the Whites could have another Cresswell amongst the first-team ranks next season after 17-year-old Alfie signed a three-year deal.

Cresswell was a regular feature at centre-back for the club’s under-18 side last season, starting in the FA Youth Cup Final defeat to Manchester City, and also made his debut for the under-21’s, featuring twice.

The 17-year-old’s elder brother Charlie, who made his first-team debut aged 18 in 2020, was sold to Toulouse on 8 July after making just 14 appearances in all competitions, half of which came last season.

Alfie Cresswell will look to take his chance for Leeds United

Should he make his first-team debut for the Peacocks in the coming years – let alone in the upcoming campaign – Cresswell will become the third member of his family to don the white shirt.

His father Richard played as a striker for the club between 2005 and 2007 scoring 11 times in 44 appearances in all competitions across two seasons before moving to Preston.

Charlie, now 21-years-old and a regular for England’s under-21 side, heads to Toulouse having made just 44 senior club appearances in his entire career, 30 of which came in a single season during 2022/23 [Beren Cross, 30 June].

Unfortunately for the elder Cresswell brother’s prospects at Elland Road, those 30 were during a loan spell at Millwall, and the fact he’s hardly played since suggests that his transfer away is a wise one.

Charlie Cresswell managed just five league appearances for Leeds United last season

Alfie will hope to join his father and brother in playing for the Whites, but Charlie’s lack of game-time and eventual departure will serve as a reminder that he must showcase exceptional quality to be a permanent fixture of United’s first-team.