Leeds United: 49ers Enterprises could waste millions on likely Archie Gray transfer exit, must act now

Leeds United owners 49ers Enterprises and manager Daniel Farke must act as soon as possible with Archie Gray likely to exit which may cost them millions.

Newspaper journalist Alan Nixon, taking to his Patreon page on 25 September reported that, Premier League outfit Crystal Palace plan to be at the front of the queue if Leeds are forced to cash in on their prized academy asset.

Nixon also shares that Palace view Gray as an alternative to Blackburn wonderkid Adam Wharton who may prove too pricy for the Eagles, with the Leeds man already proving this season he could play a part in their youthful side.

The Eagles have been tracking the 17-year-old talent for some time and his first-team breakthrough has put them on red alert [The Sun, 24 September] and they may not be the only English top-flight club interested should the Whites fail to seal Premier League promotion.

The Whites lost several first-team stars this summer, either permanently or on a temporary basis, after their relegation to the Championship with the likes of Tyler Adams, Luis Sinisterra, Marc Roca, Max Wober and Rasmus Kristensen seeking pastures new to play top-level football.

Manager Farke has done incredibly well to assemble a squad capable of challenging at the top end of the Championship in such a short space of time, amidst all the recruitment pressure in the latter stages of the window.

And one of the key components of his new and improved squad has been the rapid development and maturity of Gray who has already proven a key facet of the German’s midfield, featuring in ten appearances for the first team so far this season.

Palace’s interest in Gray will come as no surprise to fans of the Eagles, with their recent transfer strategy focused on bringing in some of the Championship’s top young talent and giving them space to develop with regular football.

However, the 49ers Enterprises who also hold such ambitions of their own especially if Farke leads them back into the Premier League next season, will certainly count this interest as a desperate need to act and secure Gray’s future at Elland Road with his current deal coming to an end in 2025 [Transfermarkt].

If the Whites do not address his current contract situation, they face the prospect of wasting millions on him with the likes of Palace or another top-flight club securing his signature for next to nothing next summer, with his contract only having a year to run.

Even if they were to fail in their English top-flight promotion bid, the fact that they tied down Gray to a new deal puts them in a strong position should the likes of Palace come to the negotiation table.

Former Eurosport journalist Dean Jones, speaking to GiveMeSport on 29 September shares that patience will be needed from both parties as Gray won’t be starting every week, but he could benefit from being a “big part” of Daniel Farke’s “positive” project rather than a “small part” at a Premier League club.

It would certainly make more financial sense if Leeds United were to give first-team opportunities for their academy talents and secure them on long-term deals whilst honing their craft for at least a few years before agreeing to part ways for a huge and healthy profit.

With Gray just at the start of his development at Elland Road, both 49ers and Farke must act now to secure his burgeoning and exciting future at Leeds United.