Archie Gray could be set for Leeds United return from Tottenham despite transfer already
Tottenham could send Archie Gray back to Leeds United on loan despite completing a permanent transfer for him, according to Carlton Palmer.
The former Whites midfielder told Football League World on 2 July that while the Spurs switch was a “fantastic move” for an “incredibly talented player” he would have expected the 18-year-old to get far more game time at Brentford.
Teenage star Gray went for a Bees medical over the weekend only for Leeds to reject the structure of a £35million deal [The Athletic, 1 July], and a subsequent Tottenham move was agreed with Joe Rodon heading back to Elland Road on a permanent deal.
But Palmer isn’t convinced that the new Spurs man will immediately be a first-team fixture and has tipped him for a loan move, potentially back to his boyhood club.
Palmer said: “Now, I think Gray is a terrifically talented young player. He’s only 18 years of age.
“I would have thought that long-term, Spurs would be a great move; but short-term, I would have thought he would have more chance of playing regular first-team football at Brentford.
“Like I say, he’s an incredibly talented player and it wouldn’t surprise me if Tottenham loan him out, maybe even to Leeds.
“I would have thought he would play more at Brentford but it’s a fantastic move for the young kid, and we’ll have to wait and see how things transpire from now.”
Leeds United return mooted after Brentford transfer collapse
It is enough of a shame for Whites supporters to see Gray leave as it is, a homegrown star who is the latest in a long family line of Leeds United players.
But if he were to get lost in the shuffle under Ange Postecoglou in North London it would be an even greater frustration.
His talent is enough to suggest that such difficulties could be avoided, but he would hardly be the first talented youngster to lose his way at a Champions League-chasing Premier League club.
While losing Gray to Brentford would have seemed even more anticlimactic he would have likely continued to start regularly under Thomas Frank just as he had for Daniel Farke.
Either way it would be a major surprise to see him back in a Leeds shirt any time soon, unless he has a miserable first half of next season in the Premier League.
Should that happen then Farke would no doubt be front of the queue to bring him back, as the only senior manager to have proven he can get the best out of the youngster, but the chances are probably slim.
Instead the German will likely be forced to content himself with securing Rodon long-term and look to plug the gap left by Gray with further new signings, if he can afford them, while potentially turning his attentions to bringing through the departed star’s younger brother Harry.
In other Leeds United news, a Whites player has accepted a pay cut to continue playing for the club.
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