Manchester United are reportedly planning to make a move for Leeds United starlet Archie Gray.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Manchester United are the latest Premier League side to be linked with a move for Leeds United midfielder Archie Gray after they decided against triggering Sofyan Amrabat’s purchase option.
At just 17 years of age, Gray has swiftly established himself in the Leeds first team under Daniel Farke in the first half of the season, playing as both as defensive midfielder and a right-back, and his versatility, vision, and technical skill has caught attention of several Premier League big guns.
In the defensive midfield role, he looks to win turnovers in the defensive third before quickly getting the ball forward using his sharp passing and creative instincts to win defensive turnovers before quickly moving the ball forward.
The fact that he can play such a wide variety of roles at such a young age demonstrates his extraordinarily well-rounded skill set. While he has excellent technical skills, what sticks out most about him is his intelligence and ability to read the game.
With Liverpool and Tottenham also said to be monitoring the English Under-19 international, Fichajes believe the £40 million-£50 million-valued star is now on INEOS’ radar after the club came to the conclusion regarding flop on-loan playmaker Sofyan Amrabat, who is currently away at the African Cup of Nations.
The report adds that Sofyan Amrabat’s loan at the club isn’t going as planned, and the Red Devils are already putting together plans on how to replace him this year and sort out their long-standing midfield problems. Gray has been identified as a potential option for the Reds, and the 17-year-old is high on their radar.
However, considering their rivalry and Leeds United’s potential promotion in just a few months, the Peacocks’ will not want to lose one of their prominent players not only to a rival team but also to a fellow Premier League side if they finish in the top two or win the play-off final. There are also doubts about whether the player would want to leave Leeds for fierce rivals.
Leeds are believed to be trying to open negotiations to extend Gray’s contract, which currently runs until 2025. That means Gray has all the say: either he commits to Leeds for the next stage of his progress, or he could go on to bigger and better things with an established Premier League giant, who don’t usually have a tendency to promote youth.
