Leeds United winger Ronnie McGrath has left the club, signing for US college side The Gamecocks.
The South Carolina outfit announced his arrival on their Twitter account, ending his association with Leeds. He may not have troubled the first team, but he has been a regular for the Under 18s and was widely regarded as an exciting up-and-coming prospect at Thorp Arch.
He was awarded his first professional contract a year ago, penning and two-and-a-half-year deal when he turned 18; such was his potential. He was a regular for the Under 18s over the last year, appearing 24 times and scoring eight goals in the process. The natural progression seemed to be to the Under 21s, and then the first team, but he’s now going to try his luck stateside in a similar move to that of former Leeds star Jack Harrison.
McGrath is eligible for England and Ireland, having appeared for the former at Under 15 and Under 16 levels, but most recently finding the bench for Ireland’s Under 19s. The right winger will now seek to further his career in US college soccer with The Gamecocks, the men’s ‘soccer’ wing of the University of South Carolina.
It isn’t unusual for young English players to move to US colleges to play ‘soccer’. Dom Dwyer, a former Norwich City youngster, moved there in 2009 and has forged a career in MLS, even becoming a US citizen and representing the USMNT. Preston-born Luke Mulholland is another – he was on the book of Lancaster City as a youngster but moved across the Atlantic in 2007 and ended up appearing regularly for Real Salt Lake.
Writer’s View
It isn’t unusual for a young player to go over to the US. Just this week, former Lincoln City and Arsenal youngster Morgan Worsfold-Gregg made the switch, underlining how common it is.
What is not common is for a player who seemed to be on an upward trajectory with his club to make the move. McGrath had a pro deal at Elland Road and was secure until the summer of 2025. He hadn’t appeared much this season for the Under 18s but had shown enough promise to perhaps bag a non-league loan and a shot at senior football.
Leeds’ first team might not feel the hit of his departure, but one wonders if this is the last we’ve heard of McGrath. Could he pop back up, like Jack Harrison, further down the line? Or might we even see him wearing the stars and stripes at a World Cup as he excels in the US?
It’s a gamble, but given how many young players fall by the wayside in the UK, it’s perhaps no more of a gamble than staying put.
