Leeds United reward Archie Gray's progress with new long-term contract — Yorkshire Post 16/1/24
Leeds United's Archie Gray has signed a contract which is due to keep him at the club until the summer of 2028.
By Stuart Rayner
After an impressive start to his first season of first-team
football the 17-year-old has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs
but as the son of former Leeds striker Andy, the grandson of left-back Frank
and the great-nephew of legendary winger Eddie, he is steeped in the Elland
Road club.
Hardly surprising with that heritage, he is a boyhood fan.
Gray has been a first-team regular this season, making 28
appearances in all competitions.
He started it as one of the holding midfielders in a 4-2-3-1
formation but has since become the first choice at right-back, to the extent
that Leeds were prepared to allow two specialists in the position, Luke Ayling
and Djed Spence to leave this month.
On Saturday he equalled a club record by making his 26th
start before the age of 18 in the 3-0 defeat at Cardiff City. He has until
mid-March to set a new landmark.
Last year Gray made his England Under-20 debut, having been
capped at every age level from under-15 up. He captained his country at
under-15 and -16 level.
The contract of course does not stop predators picking Gray
off, but puts them in a far stronger position if they come calling, and is a
signal of Gray’s commitment as well as a reward for his progress.