Leo Castledine: The local talent money can not buy by Jacques Bourgeois
Biography:
Full name: Leo Alexander Francis Castledine
Nationality: English
Date of birth: August 20th, 2005 (18 years old)
Place of birth: Kingston upon Thames, England
Height: 179cm
Youth Career: Chelsea FC and AFC Wimbledon
Current club: Chelsea FC
Squad number: 10
Current national team: England U19
Position: central midfielder, attacking midfielder
Preferred foot: Right
Market value (by transfermarkt.de): 900k
Contract until: June 30th, 2027
Player’s agent: KIN Partners
Similar type of player: James Maddison
Strengths:
- Anticipation (very strong)
- Free kick taking (very strong)
- Passing (very strong)
- Pressing (very strong)
- Shooting (very strong)
- Vision (very strong)
- Work rate (very strong)
- Crossing (strong)
- Dribbling (strong)
- First touch (strong)
- Pace (strong)
- Tackling (strong)
To improve:
- Heading
Career Summary:
Leo Castledine, a local talent from Kingston upon Thames, showed promise in Chelsea’s youth ranks. He started his youth career with Chelsea and then joined AFC Wimbledon at eight years old, initially playing as a center-back before transitioning to an attack-minded midfielder.
In 2019, he made his under-18 debut at AFC Wimbledon, becoming the youngest player to do so. Later, in 2022, at the age of seventeen, he returned to Chelsea and signed his first professional contract. He has trained with the first team on multiple occasions and made his professional debut in January 2022 during the EFL Cup semi-final against Middlesbrough.
Additionally, he has represented England in various age categories, making five appearances for the U19s and scoring two goals.
Style of Play:
Leo Castledine, despite his background as a defender, is a very creative and elegant attacking midfielder. His main strengths lie in his vision, passing ability, and pressing. He is adept at spotting the right pass and executing it with both long and short passing at an exceptionally high level. His sprint speed allows him to pressure defenders and make accurate tackles, showcasing his defensive background. Additionally, he demonstrates a great work rate by frequently supporting the defense.
Another notable strength is his shooting, especially his free-kick-taking. He consistently finds the corner with his strikes from a distance, making him a free-kick specialist.
Regarding physical attributes, Castledine meets the requirements with his speed, jumping reach, and stamina, surpassing most opponents in the Premier League 2.
To take the next step in his career, Castledine needs to start playing against higher-level opponents regularly to showcase his abilities consistently. If he can make this transition smoothly, he has the potential to become a significant player for Chelsea.
Potential 9/10:
Leo Castledine has already made his professional debut at Chelsea. Still, it seems unlikely he can break into the first team next season with as many talented players as Chelsea currently has. Therefore, he must be loaned out to a club, presumably in the Championship, to gain experience and be tested at a higher level than he currently is. With time, there is no doubt in my mind that he will become a leading player for a top Premier League club. With his free kicks and exceptional playmaking abilities, he will be a force to be reckoned with.
This player analysis is written by Jacques Bourgeois, video scout at 360 Scouting.