Leeds United and Aston Villa eye Bristol Rovers starlet | OneFootball

Youngster Kofi Shaw is attracting major transfer interest, with two teams higher up in the pyramid eyeing a move for him.

Aston Villa and Leeds United are both eyeing a move for Bristol Rovers star Kofi Shaw.

According to Alan Nixon, the midfielder is already drawing attention from clubs in the Championship and Premier League.

Shaw has emerged as a promising young talent with the League One side, and has already earned three senior league appearances for the Pirates (all stats from Fbref).

The 17-year-old is seen as an exciting prospect with a lot of potential, and has already earned himself a chance to compete at a third-tier level.

He made his debut last April, coming off the bench for Bristol Rovers in a 2-0 loss to Wigan Athletic.

It is understood that Shaw is happy to remain at the Memorial Stadium for the time being despite speculation over his immediate future, which will come as a positive development for manager Matt Taylor.

The youngster does not have a long-term contract with Bristol Rovers, which could open the door for his exit in the near future.

Leeds and Aston Villa are both keeping tabs on the midfielder’s progress with a view towards a potential move.

The Whites have proven themselves as a pathway into first team football at a higher level for younger players in the recent past.

Archie Gray was a key figure in Daniel Farke’s team last season, with the 18-year-old featuring 44 times in the regular season for the Yorkshire outfit as they came third in the Championship table.

He has since made the switch to Tottenham Hotspur off the back of this move, with Leeds agreeing a £40 million deal last summer, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post.

His emergence in the Leeds first team squad could be convincing for Shaw, as it shows there is room for him in Farke’s plans.

Meanwhile, Villa have targeted younger players in recent years in a bid to grow the club, and have since qualified for the Champions League under Unai Emery.

Leeds United league position

Leeds will be targeting promotion to the Premier League again this season, with the team currently sitting fifth in the table.

The gap to the automatic promotion places is only one point after seven games, with the standings still very tight in these early stages of the campaign.

The Whites won 3-0 against Coventry City at Elland Road on Saturday to move ahead of Sheffield United.

Up next for Farke’s team is a midweek trip to face Norwich City on Tuesday evening in a 7.45pm kick-off.

Kofi Shaw is an exciting young talent

It’s no surprise that a 17-year-old midfielder from League One is already attracting interest from clubs higher up the football pyramid.

Anyone able to compete at senior level at that age is someone with a lot of potential.

Given he’s not got a long-term contract with Bristol Rovers, he may also be relatively affordable for both Leeds and Villa.