'I'm a leader' - Charlie Cresswell outlines his Leeds United aim and hails Whites inspirations after signing new deal - YEP 26/8/21

Charlie Cresswell has vowed to keep pushing on in pursuit of reaching his long-term goal with Leeds United after signing a new four-year deal.

By Lee Sobot

The 19-year-old defender and under-23s captain has signed a new contract with Leeds that runs until the summer of 2025.

The centre-back enjoyed a terrific 2020-21 campaign, leading from the front as Mark Jackson's under-23s stormed to promotion as Premier League Two, Division Two champions.

But Cresswell hopes he is only just getting started and is targeting further success in the top tier of Academy football, en route to eventually breaking in to the Whites first team.

The teenager particularly looks up to Leeds skipper Liam Cooper and vice captain Luke Ayling, otherwise know as Bill, and Cresswell says he too is a natural leader.

Reflecting on signing his new four-year deal, Cresswell told LUTV: "It feels great, I couldn’t be happier.

“I’ve been at the club since I was 11 and so to sign a new deal here is just fantastic.

"My journey so far at the Academy, there's been lots of ups and lots of downs, but I have enjoyed every minute of it and I’ve got to carry on pushing on.

"At the start of last season we set out to win the league and that's what we have set out this season.

“It was a great feeling winning the league, we got promoted and we want to go again this season.

"I'm confident, I'm a leader, I like to play and I like to head it!

“There's lots of players in the first team that I look up to, the likes of Coops, Bill, they lead by example and that is what I want to try and follow.

“My targets for the next few years are obviously to try and get in the first team eventually, but in this moment I have got to go in day to day and just push every day to the best of my ability and hopefully that takes me somewhere.”