Archie Gray is shining in an out-of-form Tottenham Hotspur side at the moment in the middle of their defence as Ange Postecoglou continues to tend with a big list of injuries.
It comes after 18-year-old Gray joined Tottenham from Leeds in the summer. Last season, he made his debut on the first day and went on to play 52 times for Leeds before play-off final defeat at Wembley.
Had Leeds gone up, Gray would surely have remained at Elland Road but instead, the Yorkshire side had to contend with selling Gray to Spurs for £40m – as well as Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter.
Despite never playing at centre-back during his time with Leeds, or for England’s youth sides, Gray has had to fill in alongside Radu Dragusin with Ben Davies, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero injured.
Archie Gray names Leeds United icon as his idol growing up
Gray might be at Tottenham now, but he remains Leeds at heart given his family connections with the club and growing up in and around Elland Road. He gave an interview to Stadium Astro during the week.
The Thorp Arch academy product was asked who his icon was at Elland Road, and he named Argentine icon Luciano Becchio – given he was a ball-boy while the striker was banging in the goals at Leeds.
“Someone that I used to watch all the time as Luciano Becchio, I was a ball-boy at Leeds and I got to see him pretty much every game,” Gray said discussing Becchio as his idol, while also naming Lionel Messi.
“Even if I saw him now, I saw him a few times last season and I was like, ‘woah, that’s Becchio’. He probably doesn’t remember me as a ball boy, but watching him he was a great player,” he continued.
Could Harry Gray follow in Archie Gray’s footsteps at Leeds?
The family connection at Leeds doesn’t stop with Gray. Following in his Grandfather, Great Uncle and Father’s footsteps, Gray has played for Leeds’ first team but he has younger brothers who have a chance
Harry Gray was one of six Leeds youngsters that flew to Germany in the summer, and is currently in the Leeds U21 side impressing. Asked if he thinks he is the best brother, Gray refused to say he was.
“It’s difficult to say, they’ve all got their own abilities. None of us are the same position so it’s difficult to say. I don’t know. We’re all pretty similar, I wouldn’t say myself,” Gray said, comparing himself to Harry.
Receive a digest of our best Leeds content each week direct to your mailbox
