Leeds United told £5m could land teenage star as Archie Gray makes honest Tottenham admission

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Your round-up of the latest Leeds United stories ahead of Friday’s trip to Sunderland.

Leeds United return to action tomorrow and know victory at early frontrunners Sunderland could send them top of the Championship table - even if only for a few hours. Daniel Farke’s side are three points off first-place after securing a hard-earned 1-1 draw at Norwich City, their third straight game without defeat.

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Friday’s trip to Sunderland presents arguably Leeds’ biggest task of the season so far and they will almost certainly have to face it without Ilia Gruev, who suffered a knee injury on Tuesday. The midfielder is one of a possible six Whites absentees for the journey north but those travelling to the Stadium of Light will still expect to return with something, and the YEP has rounded up some of the latest stories in the meantime.

Shaw price-tag

Former midfielder Carlton Palmer believes a move for Bristol Rovers teenage star Kofi Shaw could set Leeds back at least £5million. The Whites are one of several Premier League and Championship teams thought to be keeping close tabs on Shaw, with Aston Villa also named in a recent report.

Seventeen-year-old Shaw is already cementing himself as a first-team player at Bristol Rovers, building on last season’s debut with four appearances so far this campaign for the League One outfit. A first senior goal came in last month’s 3-3 EFL trophy draw against Tottenham Hotspur Under-21s, with manager Matt Taylor admitting the winger was his best player on the night.

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"What he's worth is a difficult one, as he's a very talented youngster,” Palmer told Football League World. “Obviously, he needs to be getting game time and Matt Taylor has said they are conscious he's only 17, and that they need to manage his game time and how he plays. Bristol Rovers will be looking for decent money for him already; maybe £5m or £6m with add-ons. Then maybe Bristol Rovers could do a deal which involves him being loaned back, so that he gets his education."

Gray admission

Archie Gray feels more ‘robust and strong’ after a full campaign of Championship football at Leeds last season. Gray joined Tottenham in a £40m deal over the summer and impressed at his new club, but the 18-year-old has not forgotten those who helped him develop in West Yorkshire during a debut year of first-team football.

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“I don’t think too much has changed [since moving from Leeds], it’s just learning the roles of a different team and manager,” Gray told BBC Radio London ahead of Tottenham’s Europa League clash against Ferencvaros this evening. “Once you’ve learned that it’s quite the same, trying to do as much as you can on the pitch.

“The amount of games [in the Championship] has helped me with being robust and being strong with my body. I can play as many games as possible and I back myself to do that. I’m grateful for the season that I had last year, it helped me a lot and I can take that into this year.”