Leeds United youngster earns England tournament call-up after first-team breakthrough — YEP 12/5/25

-

By Joe Donnohue

Leeds United forward Harry Gray has been named in England's tournament finals squad for this summer's Under-17 European Championships.

The Leeds teenager is selected among Neil Ryan's talented U17 group for the annual tournament which begins in Albania next week.

England are one of eight finalists and will compete in the group stage against Italy, Belgium and the Czech Republic between 20 and 26 May.

The Young Lions were eliminated at the quarter-final stage on penalties last summer and are seeking their first title at this age group since tournament triumphs in 2010 and 2014. Former Leeds player and academy graduate Lewis Cook was a part of the England squad which took home silverware in 2014.

Leeds youngster Gray is one of only a handful of players in the England U17 cohort to have had experience in a senior football setting. The 16-year-old made his Leeds bow off the bench against Stoke City towards the end of United's Championship-winning 2024/25 campaign and was among the unused substitutes for the Whites' final two games of the season.

Gray also scored what proved to be the winner for Leeds' U21s in the inaugural National League Cup win versus Sutton United at the end of April.

He is joined in the current England crop by former Leeds youngster Finlay Gorman, who swapped Thorp Arch for Manchester City's academy in a lucrative transfer back in 2023. Reigan Heskey, son of former England international Emile Heskey, is also named in the squad. The fellow City youngster happens to be a cousin of Leeds striker Mateo Joseph.

Other notable inclusions are Arsenal's Max Dowman, who has featured at Under-21 level for the Gunners this season despite being only 15 years-old, recent Liverpool debutant Rio Ngumoha and Landon Emenalo, son of former Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo.

Gray is capped at U17 level already but is a recent addition to the squad and will face competition to start with plenty of attacking talent at the top end of the pitch.

England squad in full

Lanre Awesu, Freddy Bernal, Jack Porter; Kaden Braithwaite, Jun'ai Byfield, Landon Emenalo, Malachi Hardy, Bendito Mantato, Freddie Simmonds; Max Dowman, Finlay Gorman, Louis Page, Seth Ridgeon, Luca Williams-Barnett; Bradley Burrowes, Harry Gray, Reigan Heskey, Ryan McAidoo, Rio Ngumoha, Alejandro Gomes, Harry Howell

Popular posts from this blog

The huge initial fee Leeds are set to receive for Crysencio Summerville’s move to West Ham — Leeds United News 31/7/24

-
Will Butcher West Ham United are closing in on a deal to sign Crysencio Summerville from Leeds United, and Ben Jacobs has shared how much Leeds will receive for the Dutchman. The 22-year-old has been strongly linked with the Elland Road exit door all summer and was targeted as the one big sale Leeds needed to make before the Profit & Sustainability Rules deadline this month. But instead, Leeds sold Archie Gray for £40m to Tottenham. Leeds have since sold five more players in the form of Diego Llorente, Marc Roca, Kris Klaesson and Charlie Cresswell – raking in around £60m in total. But more exits were always likely and Fabrizio Romano reported on Wednesday afternoon that West Ham had agreed personal terms with Summerville, and talks for a fee were ongoing with the Yorkshire side. Now, the story has moved on with multiple sources claiming a deal is done between Leeds and Angus Kinnear’s old club. The Dutchman is expected to sign a five-year at the London Stadium, until Jun...
Read more

Leeds United board break silence after transfer window with statement on upcoming Elland Road development — YEP 2/9/24

-
By Joe Donnohue Leeds United have confirmed supporters' commemorative stones at Elland Road's Centenary Square will be replaced free of charge in a bid to improve their longevity. Beginning next month, Leeds supporters' personalised stones will be replaced with exact replicas, courtesy of a new company, to ensure of a 'much better quality' installation. The work is expected to take around two months to complete. An official club statement confirmed 'three larger stones dedicated to former managers Don Revie, Howard Wilkinson and Marcelo Bielsa' will also be installed, 'similar to those located in Bremner Square', while additional space for supporters to purchase new stones has also been factored into the project. “The club have taken on board recent feedback from supporters on the stones at Centenary Square, and we are really happy that we can now announce that all of the stones will be replaced," chief executive Angus Kinnear confirmed,...
Read more

Leeds United transfer state of play as Whites knock back low bid and assert wing pair stance — YEP 3/7/24

-
By Graham Smyth Leeds United are not actively looking to cash in on Crysencio Summerville and Willy Gnonto and believe any further outgoing transfer business will be done on their terms. The Whites, who sold Archie Gray to Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday for £40m, expect that there will be continued interest in wing pair Summerville and Gnonto as the summer transfer window progresses. Summerville has been a target for Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion but their interest has not yet materialised into a bid. The Albion did, however, send a £30m proposal for Georginio Rutter, which Elland Road chiefs rejected. Rutter is not expected to try and force an exit this summer and appears settled at Leeds after a far more positive second season in English football. The sale of Gray has helped put Leeds into a position where they do not need to sell star players and can dictate any moves that do happen. Club sources say they are not actively looking to sell the likes of Summerville o...
Read more