Leeds United: Phil Hay makes Archie Gray reveal amid interest from Liverpool, Spurs, and Man City | OneFootball

Leeds United midfielder Archie Gray is the subject of plenty of top-flight interest following his breakout season at Elland Road, including from the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City.

Gray has taken his opportunity with both hands and is enjoying his first season as a professional player. He has been involved in 28 of Leeds' 30 games in all competitions this season so far, making 26 starts in the process.

His quality performances at such a tender age have been impressive, especially as Gray has operated as either a right-back or central-midfielder and has so far collected one assist, but has caught the eye of many of Europe's elite.

Gray has predominantly been used as a full-back recently but was excellent in the game against Peterborough United, back in a midfield berth, but has been a huge asset to the side wherever Farke asks him to play.

The first club to have been prominently linked were initially reported as Liverpool, who hold strong interest in signing the Leeds starlet. However, the West Yorkshire outfit were said to have placed a £40 million price tag on the future of the academy graduate.

Everton and Crystal Palace are two other Premier League sides also said to be keeping tabs on Gray, as they look to bolster their ranks using the EFL once again. Meanwhile, Man City and Newcastle United have also been credited with an interest in the player, as well as European giants Borussia Dortmund.

Simon Jones of the Daily Mail has reported recently that interest has grown further in Gray, with Spurs now emerging as another side in the race for the youngster in the long-term.

However, Gray signed a new deal this week, tying him down at Elland Road until the summer of 2028, extending his deal by a further three years with his boyhood club.

Phil Hay provides update on Archie Gray

Phil Hay was questioned about Gray's contract and long-term future on The Square Ball podcast, explaining that Gray agreed to reduced terms when he first signed professional terms for the club, despite interest from clubs in the Premier League.

"My understanding is that his last contract did have a release clause provision in it. I can't say for certain about this one but it wouldn't surprise me if it did to some extent.

"If it does, it'll be to a very high level. The process with Gray is that he couldn't sign professional terms until he was 17. So as soon as he turned 17, he did. The club were well in advance of that. There were about five or six clubs that were really interested.

"He took reduced money at Leeds, in the sense of of a reduced wage compared to what was being offered elsewhere, because he wanted to stay, and he did. "If everything was in place, and he was happy with it, then he would take a lower wage, but when you're 17 you can only extend for a certain period of time, which was 2025. "A bit close for comfort, as of now, so it was always going to be the plan to get him on a much more substantial and better contract as soon as he approached his 18th birthday. "There's no universe where you can say Archie Gray is going to be a Leeds United player for life because he is that good and people think he'll go right to the very top. "Liverpool were interested back when he was in the academy, so were Manchester City, so were Tottenham, and if you could have Archie Gray then you would. "It would be a massive disappointment if he went in the summer, but I think the idea of him movig onto fresh pastures is probably something that is worth getting your head around.

"I don't think he'd be signing a new contract if he didn't want to be here. He seems very happy and very content. He's a massive talent."

Archie Gray's Leeds United future

The family name he comes from speaks somewhat to his talent. He’s in good company as the grandnephew of Eddie Gray, with Frank Gray as his grandfather, and as Andy Gray's son; all of whom played for Leeds at one stage or another.

Gray is best placed where he is for now, developing rapidly with regular game time for his boyhood club. At only 17, and such a crucial point in his development, that is what is going to benefit him more than what any of English football's elite can offer him right now.

Of course, if Leeds fail to gain promotion this term, moves like Spurs, Man City, and Liverpool become harder for both him and the club to turn down. However, the likelihood of him receiving the benefits of first-team football will be lessened in sides such as those, given their wealth of options and talent.