View: Leeds United could have future England star in Archie Gray
Leeds United have seen Kalvin Phillips recently come through the Elland Road academy into the England setup and star at Euro 2020, and he might not be the last.
There is another remarkable talent carving his path towards the first team and he is turning heads as he does so.
15-year-old Archie Gray has already featured on Marcelo Bielsa’s substitute bench on more than one occasion at senior level and has been a regular for the Whites’ Under-23 side this season.
He was again involved at the sharp end of the pitch on Saturday as Leeds’ Under-18 side thrashed Derby County 7-0, with Gray among the scorers.
The nephew of Elland Road legend Eddie Gray is doing all the right things to make a stellar career for himself even though he has a long way to reach the top.
Bielsa himself sees a bright future for the 15-year-old which is probably why he has already joined the senior squad a couple of times this season.
“In spite of being so young, he can compete. But clearly, his process has been altered to get to be an elite player. He has the resources to achieve it, he will achieve it,” the Leeds manager said, as quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post.
Gray even stood out when the Leeds Under-21s faced Tranmere in the Papa John’s Trophy as he marvellously created the chance for Amari Miller to find the net.
If he keeps up with this progression, playing way beyond his years, he may well receive an England call-up in the next few years and from there, he has all the tools to become a star for the Three Lions, just as Philips has done.
In other Leeds United news, Bielsa has admitted to making a grave mistake in the Whites’ 3-0 defeat to Everton on Saturday.