Leeds United deal could hand Doncaster Rovers a huge promotion boost | OneFootball

The signing of Charlie Crew could be a huge boost for Doncaster Rovers' promotion hopes

Doncaster Rovers made headlines on the weekend when they emerged with an FA Cup victory away to Championship side Hull City, and they're set for further positive news too.

Rovers are set to signLeeds United youngster Charlie Crew on loan until the end of the season, and while he hasn't played too much senior football, the youngster looks to be an excellent signing for Grant McCann's side.

Whilst Doncaster progressed to the fourth round of the FA Cup where they'll host Premier League side Crystal Palace, an exciting tie for supporters, they're still in the mix for promotion from League Two, and they'll be looking to go one better than last season where they reached the play-offs but were defeated at the semi-final stage.

Rovers currently sit in the play-off places, and a successful January transfer window could make all the difference when it comes to winning promotion to League One.

Leeds United, Charlie Crew deal could make all the difference for Doncaster Rovers

Crew is only 18 years old and has played just one game for Leeds United at senior level, but he's someone that looks set for a very bright future in the game and his arrival will make Doncaster's League Two rivals sit up and take notice.

The midfielder is so highly-rated that he's already a full international, being capped by Wales as a 17-year-old against Gibraltar in the summer of 2024, and he will only improve at Doncaster with regular football.

Many Leeds supporters have taken to social media to express their surprise that Crew is joining a League Two side, with some suggesting he could play for a lower end Championship team, and those claims should get Doncaster supporters very excited.

Crew has played two games of senior football, one for Leeds and one for Wales, but he's been in and around Daniel Farke's matchday squad on a number of occasions this season, and there shouldn't be any doubts about whether he's good enough to play in League Two.

As loan signings in League Two go, this looks to be a real coup for Doncaster, and a player of his quality could help turn McCann's side into genuine promotion contenders this season.

Rovers are a big team for League Two, and they're flexing their muscles by signing Crew, and you'd have thought that some of their divisional rivals would be looking on with envy.

It's something of a surprise to see the Welsh international heading to League Two, but if Doncaster can offer him regular football, then it makes perfect sense from Leeds' point of view, and it would be a shock if Crew didn't show his class in the fourth tier.

Charlie Crew will learn a lot at Doncaster Rovers

Crew looks like he'll become an important player for both Leeds and Wales in the years to come, but for now a spell playing in League Two will benefit him a lot more than playing U21's football for the Whites.

Playing with experienced campaigners like Billy Sharp week in, week out for a side competing for a play-off place will accelerate the 18-year-old's development, and if he impresses at The Eco-Power Stadium, then there's no reason why he can't play an important role for Leeds next season, depending on what division they're in.

The midfielder needed a loan with game time at Elland Road set to be hard to come by in the coming months as the Whites battle for Premier League promotion, but it's something of a surprise that he'll be plying his trade in League Two for the rest of the campaign.

The second half of the season looks set to be an exciting one for Doncaster with an FA Cup fourth round tie against a Premier League side and a promotion race to come, and Crew's arrival should mean that Rovers have a better chance of returning to League One for the first time since 2022.