‘Somebody at the club’… Phil Hay shares what Leeds employee has told him about Archie Gray now

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Archie Gray still very much remains Leeds United’s first choice right-back at the moment.

Gray has started 29 of Leeds’ 33 Championship matches so far this season, with the last 19 of those having come at right-back since a win over Bristol City back in October.

The 17-year-old was able to see off competition from Djed Spence and Luke Ayling before their departures last month, with Connor Roberts arriving on loan from Burnley to replace them.

Roberts has played three times for Leeds since his move to the club but is still yet to make his first start, with Gray continuing to be Daniel Farke’s first choice, and Phil Hay has shared why that might be.

Speaking on the latest episode of the Square Ball Podcast, Hay claimed that the message from Leeds throughout the whole of January was they wanted a new right-back, but for Gray to continue playing as much as he is.

Hay shares Leeds’ January message on Gray

He said: “It was one of those things when they were looking for a right-back in January, I remember somebody at the club saying this, they were very conscious of wanting a good right-back, and they got Connor Roberts who is very good.

“But not wanting that to immediately compromise Gray’s minutes, they still wanted Gray to be in the team and him to be playing. Actually if anything, he’s got better since Roberts came in and made it impossible for Farke, it would have to be a fitness thing, to get Roberts into the team.”

Gray had a few iffy games at right-back during his first couple of months playing there, but in recent weeks has continued to get better and better.

There had been some games where wingers were able to get the better of him quite easily but defensively he has improved so much, something which he puts down to marking the likes of Crysencio Summerville every day in training.

Roberts is going to find it very hard to get into the side between now and the end of the season despite joining Leeds to play more regular football, and it will be interesting to see how he responds to that.