Leeds United teen named in best Premier League talents by writers who tipped Sancho and Gnonto

Leeds United prospect Archie Gray has been named among the Premier League’s best young talents in the Guardian newspaper’s Next Generation 2022.
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Each year since 2014 the Guardian have revealed who they believe is the most promising first year scholar at each English top flight club.

Among the first cohort was a 16-year-old Marcus Rashford, who was then said to have a ‘fair chance of going all the way.’

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The 2015 selections included Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah and Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who had already featured in a pre-season friendly for the Reds’ first team. Leeds’ own Tyler Roberts, then at West Brom, was also singled out in 2015.

Jadon Sancho was a 2016 pick, along with Arsenal’s Reiss Nelson.

The Guardian named Cian Coleman as Leeds’ most promising first year scholar last year, and in 2020 the Guardian revealed a list of 60 of the best young talents in European football, including Whites deadline day signing Willy Gnonto.

Gray is not a surprising choice for the Guardian’s 2022 group given his proximity to the first team despite his tender years. Last season Marcelo Bielsa, albeit apologetically, included the then 15-year-old in Premier League matchday squads and current Whites head coach Jesse Marsch has raved over the midfielder’s talent and predicted that he will play this season.

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The son of ex-Leeds striker Andy, whose grandfather Frank and great uncle Eddie are legendary names at Elland Road, Archie has been described by the Guardian as an ‘outstanding, ball-playing, attacking midfield talent.’

TOP TEEN - Archie Gray is the Leeds United first year scholar chosen by the Guardian as part of their Next Generation 2022 group. Pic: GettyTOP TEEN - Archie Gray is the Leeds United first year scholar chosen by the Guardian as part of their Next Generation 2022 group. Pic: Getty
TOP TEEN - Archie Gray is the Leeds United first year scholar chosen by the Guardian as part of their Next Generation 2022 group. Pic: Getty

Marsch included the teenager in his travelling party for the summer tour of Australia and although he picked up an ankle injury and had to be stretchered off following a challenge by Aston Villa’s John McGinn, he recovered in time to be on the bench for the final game against Crystal Palace in Perth.

He was on the bench for the Premier League opener against Wolves but all his football has come with Michael Skubala’s Under 21s so far this season, for whom he has registered two assists in four appearances.

His season was disrupted early on by illness according to Marsch but he remains a big part of Leeds’ present and future plans.

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"He was sick for a little bit, he didn't have Covid, but he had some sort of weird stomach intestinal flu or something,” said the head coach.

"He’s still a big part of everything we do every day and he's such a great kid.

“It's a pleasure to have him around. It's not like you have a 16-year-old kid in the first team, he's one of the players. So it's a big compliment to him.”

Gray is joined in the Guardian’s class of 2022 by Arsenal’s Omari Benjamin, Liverpool’s Ben Doak and Spurs’ Han Willhoft-King.