Leeds United are understood to be among the clubs keeping a close eye on New York Red Bulls forward Julian Hall, with the 18-year-old continuing to build a reputation as one of the most exciting young attacking prospects in MLS. According to TeamTalk, Hall remains firmly in the thinking at Elland Road even after committing to a new long-term deal in New York.
The latest development does not appear to have changed the wider picture. As TeamTalk reports, the American teenager “remains firmly on the radar of a host of leading European clubs despite signing a new long-term contract with New York Red Bulls”, and Leeds are one of the sides understood to “hold an early interest in the blossoming teenage talent”.
That interest makes sense when Hall’s recent rise is examined properly. He made his professional debut at 15, became the youngest player in New York Red Bulls history, and has continued to hit notable milestones at speed. In 2024, he scored his first league goal and became “the second-youngest goalscorer in MLS history, behind only the iconic Freddy Adu.” Earlier this year, he added another headline moment by netting a hat-trick in a 3-2 win over Columbus Crew at “just 18 years and 50 days old.”
Julian Hall profile fits Leeds United recruitment model
From a Leeds perspective, this is the sort of profile that increasingly attracts serious internal discussion. TeamTalk states that the club “looked to sign a striker in the summer transfer window” after the departures of Joel Piroe and Joe Gelhardt, but stopped short of making the wrong commitment. The preference, crucially, was to target development upside rather than immediate status.
The report says Leeds “wanted to sign a young, upcoming striker talent to provide cover and competition for first-choice Dominic Calvert-Lewin and back-up Lukas Nmecha, rather than risk signing an already-proven big-name striker who could be left frustrated by lack of minutes under Farke.” That line feels…
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