Archie Gray likely to lose Leeds United place to Glen Kamara and Ilia Gruev after international developments
It “won’t be long” before Glen Kamara and Ilia Gruev get starts for Leeds United and likely in place of Archie Gray, according to Beren Cross.
The Leeds Live journalist noted on the outlet’s website on 13 September that with the two new senior midfield signings both getting triple figures in minutes on the pitch over the international break, while 17-year-old Gray was withdrawn from the England under-19s camp, the new men will be making their full debuts sooner rather than later.
According to Cross the decision to remove the teenager from international action shows “his match time needs to be managed”, amid “caution with the youngster at the risk of burning him out before he hits his mid-20s”.
Gray has started every game so far this season alongside another new signing in Ethan Ampadu, before Gruev and Kamara arrived late in the transfer window from Werder Bremen and Rangers respectively.
Necessary
As admirable as Gray’s emergence has been this season it would never have happened in the way it did if Daniel Farke hadn’t been forced to play catch-up in the transfer market.
The youngster’s future at the club is surely bright, and the chances of him never being in the starting XI any more are minimal, but it wasn’t going to be sustainable to have him start a full Championship season to begin his career.
Out of him and Ampadu it makes far more sense to relegate Gray to a back up role, with the money spent on the three new men around him substantial for a Championship club.
While it would equally be disappointing for the homegrown player to disappear from the team entirely that seems unlikely given the faith shown in him by Farke so far.
But having been thrown in at the deep end for Leeds United, and then required to keep himself afloat for over a month without back up, he has held up admirably.
He wasn’t flawless but for his age and experience he definitely impressed, and crucially prevented the Whites having a major issue in the centre of the park before they were able to land much-needed reinforcements.
In other Leeds United news, a player Farke loves could leave the club for nothing if the Whites don’t react to an early-season surprise.