“Off the table”- championship new boys could face January decision on Crystal Palace target?
This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict’ series, which offers personal opinions from FLW writers on breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings, and more…
Crystal Palace are pursuing a deal for Leeds United midfielder Archie Gray, according to yesterday’s report from Alan Nixon.
During the early stages of this season, the 17-year-old has been a vital part of Daniel Farke’s plans, with the Whites’ relegation and previous lack of midfield depth providing him with the opportunity to flourish.
Gray has made an excellent eight Championship appearances this season as of writing, and he will be hoping to play in as many games as possible until the end of the season.
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With the additions of Ilia Gruev and Glen Kamara in the latter stages of the season, he may find it more difficult to get playing time, but it could be argued that he will control his own destiny, with his performance levels dictating how many minutes he will win on the pitch.
It remains to be seen if he will stay at Elland Road for the rest of the season, with Palace perhaps preparing to make an offer during the winter after tracking him for some time.
Should Leeds United sell Archie Gray?
Looking at this potential move from a Leeds perspective, two of our writers at Football League World have given their verdicts on whether they should cash in on the 17-year-old during the January transfer window.
Adam Jones
Gray’s contract runs out in the summer of 2025 and with this in mind, Leeds are in a reasonably strong position at the negotiating table.
And considering he’s only 17, the Whites should be looking to keep him and develop him further before selling him on for a big fee, so January doesn’t feel like the right time to sell him.
Despite the fact he has impressed in recent times, they probably wouldn’t generate a huge fee for him because of his inexperience but with more game time under his belt, the Whites would be able to demand a high amount for him.
Getting him tied down to an extension is key and if they can’t do that, they should be open to selling him either in January or next summer.
But he shouldn’t be up for sale if he puts pen to paper on a new deal in the coming months, regardless of whether Leeds are promoted back to the Premier League at the end of the season or not and regardless of the amount of game time he gets.
If he doesn’t win a huge amount of game time in the next few months, they should loan him out. But if he extends his stay at Elland Road, a potential permanent move should be off the table.
Ned Holmes
It’s no surprise that Premier League teams are starting to take notice of Leeds United rising star Archie Gray but the Whites should be doing all they can to keep hold of him.
The 17-year-old has not looked out of place in the Championship this season, which speaks volumes to what a bright talent he is, and he will only continue to get better as he gets more game time under his belt.
With a contract expiring in the summer of 2025, locking him down to a new deal must be high on Leeds’ priority list, especially given Palace’s interest.
Assuming they can achieve that, I don’t see why selling him would be in their best interests. He is already a valuable component of the squad, and his value will only increase as he progresses.
Given that he is the fourth member of the Gray dynasty at the Yorkshire club and has come through the academy, it would be surprising if he is not eager to sign new terms.
Breaking into the first squad was most certainly his ambition, and while he is getting minutes, Elland Road has to be the best option for him.
Leeds may have to consider selling the midfielder in the future, but it will almost certainly be to a bigger team than Palace.
