Even though Archie Gray signed a long-term contract a few weeks ago, it has been reported that Championship team Leeds United plans to offer him new terms.
After an outstanding first season, the 18-year-old is one of the top talents in the second division, and Premier League teams are starting to take notice.
The Yorkshire team decided that it was imperative to sign the young player to long contracts, first to try to keep him, but also to give them the upper hand in any talks with other teams in case that didn’t work out.
But since Gray’s play and self-assurance are only going in one way, the Whites seem to think that in order to have any hope of retaining their academy starlet, they must already give him better terms.
Despite the recent agreement, additional terms are imminent.
In January, the England U21 international signed a new four-year contract that will keep him with the team through at least 2028.
The club had always intended to extend its contract with Gray as he matured since he signed his first professional deal in March 2023 at the age of 17.
However, in an effort to stave off Premier League interest, the club is reportedly already looking at an upgraded agreement for Gray.
Football Insider has been informed by sources that any new agreement will probably see the young player receive a significant wage increase in addition to an extension past the current four-year tenure.
Better offer makes sense given the intense interest from the Premier League.
It would be simpler to enumerate the Premier League teams that aren’t interested in signing Gray after his season-long heroics; it is claimed that Manchester United, Arsenal, and Liverpool are among those teams.
Due to interest from most top-tier clubs, Gray and his boyhood club will probably receive some lucrative offers this summer. Leeds needs to make every effort to lessen the young player’s motives for leaving in order to prevent the focus from unseating him.
Offering him financial incentives that at least equal the kind of offers he would probably receive from these elite teams is one guaranteed way to accomplish that. Leeds will also be conveying to the player how highly valued he is by offering him a new contract so soon after his previous one.
Although it will always be tough to turn down offers that are certain to come in the form of European competitions and the opportunity to play in some of the most watched games of the football calendar, Leeds’ decision to move quickly, as they seem to have done, puts them in the best position to thwart outside attempts.
Leeds should take advantage of their excellent situation to retain Gray.
It’s also important to keep in mind that Leeds appears to be in a strong position to receive automatic promotion back into the Premier League this season. As a result, Gray may already be playing in the Premier League without having to relocate and with a nearly assured starting place.
The 17-year-old, a lifelong Leeds supporter, has already expressed to Sky Sports his desire to remain at Leeds and bring home championships.
This is incredibly favorable to Leeds, and it will require a very compelling offer for Gray to think about leaving his home team, even though there’s a good likelihood they’ll be playing in the Premier League this year.
Leeds has to take advantage of this and cling onto the promising young player for as long as they can. He might be interested in pushing himself in events like the Champions League in the future, but for the time being, he appears focused on assisting Leeds in reaching their maximum potential.
He has garnered attention at a very young age and appears to be a true talent. Those at Elland Road will want him to stay in a white shirt as long as possible till he reaches his full potential since his ceiling might be anywhere.
Offering better terms to a budding prodigy so soon after his last contract may seem like a strange move, but it might
