Leeds United have been warned that they need to manage the development of Harry Gray carefully, as he looks to force his way into the first team, just as his brother Archie Gray did.
Archie Gray was a regular in the Leeds United first team during Daniel Farke’s first season at the club, but left to join Tottenham after the Whites missed out on promotion to the Premier League.
Just a few years later, 17-year-old Harry Gray is making a strong case for a regular place in the top-flight squad, having recently signed a new long-term contract with Leeds.
Gray joined an exclusive club of players to appear in a Premier League matchday squad before his 17th birthday after making his senior debut at the end of Leeds’ title-winning Championship season.
Now, Leeds have been warned that they will need to handle Archie and Harry’s situation differently, as they look to avoid losing another exciting young talent.
Leeds United sent Harry Gray warning
Hayden Evans represented the likes of David Batty and Gary Speed and, more recently, the Gray and Cresswell families.
Evans has now stepped back from his day-to-day agent duties, but he still acts as a mentor to former Leeds players Richard Cresswell and Andy Gray, who run the Blue Sky Sports Agency, which now represents Harry Gray.
Speaking on the Square Ball Podcast, Evans expressed his delight that Harry Gray was able to agree a new deal with the club. However, he warned the club that a lack of playing time could hinder his development, in contrast to Archie, who was thrust into the limelight in the Championship.
Evans said: “I don’t think there were any moments of pressure, in terms of us losing him, but it was a great relief that Andy, got himself sorted out and got a deal going there.”
Asked how the two brothers’ situation at Leeds compares, Evans added: “I think it’s very different. This isn’t me with any inside knowledge or talking about them as an agent.
“But the difference was, Archie got a lot of first-team games under his belt in that particular season before he left, and Leeds unfortunately didn’t achieve what they needed to achieve to keep him.
“I think with Harry it would appear to be very different because he’s not going to get, this season, for example, he’s not going to get the number of games that Archie got at the same age. So they are very much two different people in terms of themselves, but two different situations, really.”
Injury has hampered Harry Gray’s first-team chances this season
Gray has been named in the first-team squad twice by Daniel Farke this season, once for the EFL Cup defeat against Sheffield Wednesday and once in Leeds’ win over Wolves.
However, his wait for a Premier League debut continues as he was an unused substitute on both occasions.
Games missed by Harry Gray:
- West Brom U21 2-2 Leeds United U21
- Leeds United 1-2 Tottenham
- Fleetwood 4-0 Leeds United U21
- Burnley 2-0 Leeds United
- FC Halifax Town 3-0 Leeds United U21
- Leeds United 2-1 West Ham
A hip flexor injury has limited Gray’s availability in recent weeks, with the talented forward last featuring in Leeds’ Under-21s win over Norwich on 29th September.
However, Farke hinted that Gray was nearing a return to full fitness, as he had trained in the build-up to the win over West Ham. With no under-21s game this week, all eyes will be on Farke’s selection for the trip to Brighton to see whether he is fit to return.
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