Archie Gray captured the attention of the country last season after his mesmerising rise into the Leeds United first-team, playing a huge role in the side despite his tender age.
The versatile talent broke into Daniel Farke’s side despite being just 17 years old, and he would feature in 52 matches across all competitions, with his ability to operate in various roles also impressing.
The academy graduate is naturally a central midfielder by trade but was also utilised in a right-back role in the Whites’ first-team, not looking out of place despite his youthful years.
His consistency, coupled with the club’s failure to win promotion from the Championship would see Gray move to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur for a whopping £40m last summer.
It’s now been nearly a year on from his big-money transfer, but how is he coping with the demands of the top-flight and has he been able to make the same impact he did during his time with his boyhood club?
Archie Gray’s time at Tottenham in 2024/25
During the early weeks of the 2024/25 campaign, Gray found minutes hard to come by – understandably so given the strength in depth within Ange Postecoglou’s midfield.
However, the recent injury crisis in North London allowed the talented teenager to gain valuable minutes in the Lilywhites’ first team, albeit in an unnatural role once again.
The now 19-year-old would offer cover at centre-back during the winter months, starting 19 consecutive games at the heart of the defence, adding another role to his already impressive versatile profile.
He’s still thrived despite operating out of position, registering a 91% pass accuracy, and winning 53% of his aerial battles, demonstrating performance levels way beyond his tender age.
However, despite his impressive form in North London, Leeds could be about to unearth a player who could become even better than Gray, demonstrating the quality the club’s academy possesses.
The Leeds talent who could be a bigger star than Gray
There’s no denying that Gray has been the biggest star to emerge from the club’s academy setup in recent years, having a huge impact on the first-team before leaving in a big-money deal – subsequently improving their finances.
However, given the cutthroat nature of football, the staff behind the scenes will undoubtedly be looking at the next star to break through and follow in a similar fashion.
Such a feat could happen in the form of Harry Gray, the younger brother of Archie, who’s already captured the attention of numerous Premier League teams as a result of his impressive form at academy level.
The 16-year-old has been on the radar of Newcastle United and Tottenham in recent days, looking to get ahead of the game given his brother’s rapid rise to stardom.
Ben Mattinson has previously said that the current Leeds star is “more talented” than his older brother, understandably so given his record in 2024/25, which has seen him net 10 goals in 17 games at various youth levels in the last two years.
Two of his subsequent goals have come at U21 level this season, showcasing his talents despite operating at an age group five years above where he should be playing.
The “supremely talented” youngster, as dubbed by another analyst, has also featured for England’s U17 side, having huge potential to catapult himself into Farke’s side in the near future, just as Archie did.
1. Kalvin Phillips
Manchester City
£45m
2. Archie Gray
Tottenham Hotspur
£40m
3. Jack Clarke
Tottenham Hotspur
£11m
4. Fabian Delph
Aston Villa
£8m
5. James Milner
Newcastle United
£6m
Undoubtedly, he has huge pressure on his shoulders to succeed given the achievements of his family in recent times, but he’s already shown he’s capable of operating way beyond his tender years.
However, given his form and interest from elsewhere, it’s pivotal that the club utilise him to their advantage, offering him minutes despite his youthful years and allowing them to command a bigger fee in years to come.
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