Unless Leeds United manage to come back up to the Premier League at the first time of asking, they face losing one of their brightest talents next summer.
Even if Daniel Farke does get the all whites promoted, there’s no guarantee that they’ll still be able to keep hold of 17-year-old Archie Gray.
The teenager has been in sensational form in the 2023/24 Championship season, and has the Elland Road faithful of a certain age harking back to the days when his uncle, Eddie Gray, and father, Andy Gray, were in their pomp at the club.
The emotional pull of playing for the Yorkshire-based outfit may yet save Gray from being tempted away, though as the Daily Mail report, Liverpool are preparing to bid up to £40m for his services.
The outlet also note that Gray’s contract is up in 2025, therefore if the club are unable to tie him down to a longer-term deal, there’s every chance that an approach from the Reds could be successful.
Given how well Leeds have been doing of late, Farke can do without any of his players heads being turned at the moment, more so as the season progresses.
Unfortunately, it’s a plain fact of football life these days that if you show some promise, the big boys will soon begin to flex their financial muscle.
Aside from Gray’s own wishes, the question will be whether Leeds could afford to turn £40m down.