There is an infinite and precarious balance when it comes to attracting young, interesting footballers. But when someone like Charlie Crew comes along, it’s hard to ignore his obvious talents and sky-high potential.

The Cardiff City-raised central midfielder was signed by then-Premier League side Leeds United in the summer of 2022 and his stock has soared since then. The young Welshman, aged just 17, made his debut for Wales Under-21s and signed his first professional contract with Leeds in recent months, with sources at Thorp Arch praising the youngster’s ability and prospects.

When he speaks, he does so with a surprising maturity that belies his 17 years. He has the authority and confidence of a player who has been in the business for a decade, rather than someone who was still an academic in July, who he credits with moving away from the comforts of south Wales.

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He was a player who excited many in this corner of the world, standing out for his age during his training in Cardiff. Experts at the Bluebirds’ academy had high hopes of him being part of the first team in the coming years. But when Leeds came knocking, Crewe and his family faced a huge challenge. Leaving Cardiff, by his own admission, was a difficult decision at such a young age.

“Getting away from your family, going to a club where you don’t know anyone, you have to grow up really quickly, so I think that definitely helped,” he said of having to grow up quickly. “And it helped me get older, it helped me integrate much better and adapt more quickly than if I was still at home and in a comfortable place.

“It was a very difficult decision. But my family and I felt we needed time to discuss and make a family decision. We went back and forth between leaving or staying, in the end we just took the leap, took a risk and so far, in my opinion, it’s been worth it.

“Now I feel very comfortable in Leeds. That hasn’t changed with the change of club and I’m really enjoying my time there.”

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“This is an incredible achievement,” he added. “It’s something I’ve been working on since I was seven or eight years old. I always saw people on social media signing professional contracts and you always thought: “Will that be me one day?”

So the fact that I signed my first contract with a big club like Leeds United, which means a lot to me now, is incredible.”

Elland Road is now almost a satellite of Wales. Senior players Joe Rawdon, Ethan Ampadu and Daniel James are all plying their trade for the Yorkshire club, with Crewe following suit. The young man is inspired by his teammates and what they have achieved nationally and internationally.

“They are people I can admire both at club and country,” he said. “I know exactly who I should look up to because those are the people I want to be with or in front of.”

The squad now appears to be a permanent fixture in the Wales under-21 squad, despite it being split and rotated between age groups this year. And for him, this shows that he is heading in the right direction. Matty Jones has done an excellent job in charge of the under-21s and Crewe believes he is one of the best he has worked with in his young career.

“Matty has shown me a lot of support since we played for the Victory Shield. “When Brazil moved to Denbigh, he was always in and around our teams, even when he wasn’t the manager,” he said. he said of the Wales under-21 manager.

“The fact that he has supported me since the beginning of my career in Wales gives me even more confidence when I go to camps like this.

“He is one of the best coaches I played with. Meet all requirements, work with us on and off the field. When you prepare for a game, you need the trust of your coach and the coaching staff and he gives us enormous confidence in each game.

“As you saw in the Czech Republic last window, this means as much to him as it does to us. You saw him running down the sideline, it was so much fun!”

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Jones said during the last international window that England are “aggressively pursuing” Crewe and are desperate for him to switch international allegiances. However, last week the Wales under-21 manager appeared to suggest the chase was over after speaking to Crewe and his family.

“I think it’s over,” Jones said of England’s desire to force Crewe to change. – From the conversations we had with Charlie, we knew the plan we had with him and he supported us in spending time with the under-19s and dominated their performances.

“I knew I would always be rewarded for this because we paved the way for Charlie and believed in his ability. We hope this dialogue with him and his family has helped him make the right decision.”

The team will feature Joe Lowe and Charlie Savage, who debuted against Gibraltar last month, and Rubin Colville, all at under-21 level, who have been capped in recent years and see that as their target. In his position at club level, players like Archie Gray, also 17, are a constant presence in Leeds’ midfield, inspiring them further.

And although Crewe has not been specifically involved in England’s plan to switch allegiance, he has said he hopes to break into the Wales first team at some point in the coming years.

“It just shows that there is a way forward with Wales and that is the most important thing. This is what we are all trying to achieve. “Now you play with guys who have done that, which gives you real hope and something to strive for,” he said.

“There is a path that we were shown when we were under 16 and 17 at regional camps. so it’s a fact [Jones] Trusting me to be in the under-21 team is incredible.

“That’s what everyone wants to do. I have to be patient. I still have time and I’m still developing as a player. I still have a lot to learn. I just have to be patient and, despite all the difficulties, work. Listen to Matty, the Leeds manager, I hope to improve and one day break into the first team.”

Crewe will hope to feature Wales Under-21s when they face Iceland at Rodney Parade on Thursday, before hosting Denmark at the same venue on Monday in the Under-21 Euro qualifiers.