LEEDS COULD LAND "UNBELIEVABLE" GRAY REPLACEMENT IN SWOOP FOR PL GEM

Leeds United may have know when they lost the play-off final last month that they were at risk of losing some of their best players in the summer transfer window.

The Whites failed to earn an instant return back to the Premier League as they were beaten 1-0 by Southampton at Wembley and now have to deal with the consequences of that failure.

Daniel Farke may have to watch on as some of his key performers go out in search of moves to the Premier League, or other top-flights in Europe, instead of wanting to play in the second tier in England for a second season.

Brighton reportedly made contact over a deal to sign winger Crysencio Summerville last month and former Zurich whiz Wilfried Gnonto is said to be keen on a move back to Italy.

Instead of Summerville, Gnonto, Georginio Rutter, or Illan Meslier, another player looks set to be the first high-profile departure from Elland Road this summer.

Leeds star closing in on Premier League switch

According to Fabrizio Romano, Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur have reached an agreement to sign 18-year-old star Archie Gray this summer.

The reporter states that the top-flight outfit have progressed in negotiations to snap up the England U21 international to bolster Ange Postecoglou's squad.

Romano reveals that they are set to pay a fee of £40m for the midfielder, who can also play at right-back, and that the player has already accepted the move.

The Italian adds that central defender Joe Rodon is poised to return to Elland Road on a permanent deal, worth £10m, in a separate transfer after his loan spell in West Yorkshire last term.

This comes after Brentford's reported £35m deal to sign Gray fell through over the weekend. It was reported that he was set for a medical with the Bees, which made it seem like a move was inevitable for him.

However, The Athletic's David Ornstein then revealed that Leeds opted to reject the offer from Thomas Frank's side, which then opened the door for Spurs to swoop in.

Leeds may now need to find a replacement for Gray during the summer transfer window and versatile Chelsea defender Alfie Gilchrist could emerge as an option.

The Yorkshire Evening Press reported last month that the Blues youngster is one of a number of players on the club's transfer shortlist, as they up possible defensive reinforcements.

It was stated that the 20-year-old ace was not a player the Whites were actively pursuing, as in negotiating a deal for, at the time but that could potentially change if they need to land a new young talent to play at right-back next season.

Why Leeds must replace Archie Gray

Farke and his recruitment team must move to replace Gray before the end of the summer transfer window as he was one of the team's key players during the 2023/24 campaign.

Despite being a central midfielder at youth level, the teenage starlet made 30 appearances as a right-back for the first-team in his first senior season with the Whites.

The 18-year-old battler started 40 of the club's 46 regular season matches in the Championship, as his side finished third in the division, and he showcased his ability in and out of possession.

On the ball, Gray ranked within the top 31% of full-backs in the division for progressive passes per 90 (4.15) and the top 20% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.80).

This shows that the former academy star was progressive and forward-thinking with his use of the ball at right-back, rather than consistently being negative and safe with his passing.

As you can see in the table above, Gray was also a solid defender for the side as he won the majority of his physical battles across his 44 appearances.

The English starlet also went through the entire regular season without making a single error that led to a shot, goal, or penalty for the opposition, which shows that he was a reliable player for Farke who did not make many big mistakes.

Why Leeds should sign Alfie Gilchrist

Leeds should now take a gamble on signing Gilchrist from Chelsea, whether that is on loan or on a permanent deal, as he has the potential to be a fantastic replacement for Gray.

The 20-year-old ace, who Blues legend John Terry claimed has an "unbelievable" attitude, made 17 first-team appearances for the Premier League side last season in his first year with the senior side.

11 of those games came in the top-flight but he was only named as a starter twice, which means that the young ace is yet to prove himself across a consistent run of first-team games.

Gilchrist, who scored one goal in the Premier League, completed 3.04 progressive passes per 90 and averaged 1.3 shot-creating actions per 90 in the division.

Whilst Gray averaged slightly more (4.15) progressive passes per 90, the Chelsea man was playing at a higher level and could increase his output in that respect by playing in the second tier.

As you can see in the table above, Gilchrist's form in the EFL Trophy during the previous season also speaks to his defensive capabilities at right-back.

The versatile ace, who can play at centre-back or right-back won the vast majority of his battles on the ground and did not make a single error in any of his four appearances.

These statistics suggest that the potential is there, in and out of possession, for him to be an excellent replacement for Gray as he can be progressive on the ball whilst offering a solid defensive presence.

At the age of 20, the £5.5k-per-week gem also has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and could improve under Farke at Elland Road, as the player he could potentially replace did.

2024-07-02T05:18:49Z dg43tfdfdgfd