Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has showcased his willingness to place his faith in young talent with his use of Archie Gray so far this season.
The 17-year-old central midfielder has started seven of the club's nine Championship matches and featured in every single game for the Whites.
He has been given the opportunity to nail down a place in the starting XI by the German tactician, in spite of his lack of experience, and this proves that the manager is prepared to offer chances to academy talents.
With that in mind, the current crop of U21 stars will know that the pathway to the first-team is there and that they will get a fair crack at senior level if their performances for the youth side are up to scratch.
One academy starlet who could be a future star for Farke to uncover is talented young goalkeeper Harry Christy, who could go on to be the eventual heir to Illan Meslier at Elland Road.
How old is Harry Christy?
He is a 19-year-old shot-stopper, who turns 20 at the end of this month and made his breakthrough at U21 level during the 2022/23 season.
Christy had made 32 appearances for Leeds' U18 side and was rewarded for his performances with a step up to a higher age group last term.
His progression through the ranks came after the club decided to hand him a professional contract at the start of 2022, which came when he was the first-choice U18 goalkeeper at the age of 18.
How many goals has Christy conceded for Leeds' U21s?
The Whites youngster has conceded 13 goals in 11 matches for the club's U21 side in total, although five of those came in one EFL Trophy outing during the 2020/21 campaign.
Since the start of last season, Christy has only let in eight goals in ten matches and kept four clean sheets for the academy outfit between the sticks.
U21 coach Michal Pujdak hailed the teenage titan as an "exceptional" professional earlier this year and this suggests that the towering prospect has the right attitude to push on and continue to progress.
Therefore, his mentality and his impressive record in goal for the U21 side suggests that the potential is there for him to be Farke's heir to Meslier, who has been less-than-impressive for the first-team.
How has Meslier performed for Leeds?
The former Lorient shot-stopper was once dubbed a "massive liability" by journalist David Kent and his form over the last 12 months or so suggests that is a fair assessment of his contributions, or lack thereof, on the pitch.
Meslier endured a dismal 2022/23 campaign as the French giant conceded 12.4 more goals than expected based on the post-shot xG value (quality of shot) of the efforts against him in the Premier League.
Only Southampton's Gavin Bazunu (16.6) ranked lower in terms of his performance against the post-shot xG he faced for the south coast club, as Leeds and the Saints were both relegated.
The Leeds number one has conceded ten goals in nine matches so far this season in the Championship and let in 67 in 34 top-flight outings last term.
Meslier has not proven himself to be a reliable operator between the sticks and his backup, Karl Darlow, turns 33 this month, which suggests that there could be an opening for Christy over the coming months, or seasons, to stake a claim for his position in the side if Farke provides him with a chance to showcase his talent at first-team level.