Leeds United's Archie Gray compared to Real Madrid superstar amid fresh transfer claim

Former Aston Villa and Ipswich Town manager Paul Lambert has drawn comparisons between Archie Gray and Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham. The 2023-24 Championship campaign was a special one for Gray as established himself as one of the brightest young talents in the English game.

The 18-year-old made his senior debut for Leeds United on the opening day of the season against Cardiff City and quickly became a key member of Daniel Farke's starting XI. He made 52 appearances for the Whites over the course of the campaign, sitting out of just two league games, such was his importance to the promotion push.

Leeds fell short at the final hurdle, of course, but Gray went on to win the Championship's Young Player of the Year award this season and most impressively, he did it while spending the majority of the campaign away from his natural position. The midfielder started the season in the middle of the park but in October he made the move to right-back, where he eventually played 28 times.

Given his tender age, it was somewhat inevitable that Gray's performances would catch the eye of bigger clubs and in the build-up to the opening of the summer window, the teenager is rumoured to be attracting interest from the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle United and Manchester United.

Gray put pen to paper on a new deal in January and Leeds will be keen to keep hold of the England Under-21 international, but if reports are to be believed the club could see their resolve tested over the coming weeks and months. Gray's performances in white have captured Lambert's attention, too, and he believes the youngster could benefit from taking the same route as Bellingham, who will represent Real Madrid in the Champions League final on Saturday.

Bellingham chose to leave Birmingham City following his breakthrough season, joining Lambert's former club Borussia Dortmund in 2020 and the Scot has suggested Gray would benefit from following in the 20-year-old's footsteps.

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“I saw Archie Gray playing for Leeds at Leicester earlier this season and I thought, ‘wow, this boy’s some player', Lambert told the Mirror. "Then I watched Leeds thump Norwich 4-0 in the play-off semi-final and I thought, ‘you’d be brilliant for Dortmund at your age.’

“Jude is now a global superstar at Real Madrid, but his time with Borussia Dortmund gave him the platform for that. He thrived at Dortmund and look at him now.”

Despite being eligible, Gray hasn’t been included in England’s U20s squad for games against Sweden and Republic of Ireland next month. That suggests he is now an established member of Lee Carsley’s U21s ranks, having made the step up for the first time back in March.

However, it seems Gray has worked his way onto Gareth Southgate’s radar with the England chief namechecking the Leeds man during a press conference in March.