Archie Gray reason behind Tottenham transfer shared after Leeds United exit
Jay Harris has shared the reasoning behind Archie Gray opting to join Tottenham Hotspur instead of Brentford from Leeds United.
Speaking on The Athletic FC Podcast [3 July], Tottenham reporter Jay Harris confirmed that Brentford had looked set to sign Gray from Leeds on Saturday (29 June), only to then join Spurs in a £40million deal the following day.
Harris claimed that Gray will have been attracted to Spurs’ development of young players, larger status as a club and pursuit of the Champions League, and believed there was also an element of the “optics” surrounding a move from Leeds to Brentford, explaining a “faux rivalry” that exists between the two.
The Athletic journalist said: “Tottenham finished fifth last season and can offer Gray Europa League football, whereas Brentford finished 16th – there’s maybe a feeling that Spurs are the bigger step up.
“It’s important to say he was impressed by the presentation Brentford gave him, but I think it just comes down to Tottenham being further along in their development, being a bigger club in terms of global reach, expectations and where they are in the league.
“Other young players have had opportunities, the Champions League is more likely and I think he’s just woken up and decided Tottenham is the better challenge for him right now.
“There are also the optics of what leaving Leeds to join Brentford would have looked like. There has been a bit of a faux rivalry between the two since they were competing for promotion to the Premier League a few years ago, and some Leeds fans were certainly not happy over the weekend at the prospect of Gray going to Brentford.”
Archie Gray swerves Brentford for Tottenham as Leeds United take Joe Rodon
With Leeds United under pressure to sell one of their big-hitters – which ultimately turned out to be England youth hotshot Gray – a deal had to be at least in the midst of negotiations by the PSR accounts deadline of 30 June to put Leeds in a “good position” [The Athletic, 1 July].
This indeed happened, but with the Brentford deal falling through, some Leeds fans may have started to panic about the potential of a PSR sanction and then the club losing Gray within the coming weeks regardless.
As it transpires, Gray and his camp had handled the matter themselves and chose the Spurs challenge instead, despite what Harris describes as a “quality” presentation by the Brentford staff and hierarchy.
With 52 appearances in all competitions last campaign, Gray’s stock has rocketed massively and Leeds will be over the moon to be the financial beneficiary of that, even though a huge void has been left sentimentally as well as in footballing terms.
The versatile midfield man is likely to be given plenty of opportunities in the Premier League by Ange Postecoglou this coming season given how much the club forked out, whilst defender Joe Rodon returns to Elland Road in a bid to lift Daniel Farke’s side back to the Premier League.
All in all, it’s probably a good deal when all things are considered – except from Brentford’s perspective.
In other Leeds news, a deal with Real Betis for Diego Llorente is not completely over despite a rejected bid.
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