In a recent report, journalist Graeme Bailey claimed that Arsenal are among the clubs hoping to recruit Leeds United ace Archie Gray this summer. It has been revealed that the Gunners are facing competition in the form of Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and Red Bull Leipzig in the race to land the English midfielder this off-season.
Gray’s Impressive Run Of Form In The EFL Championship
Gray caught the eye with his performances for the Whites in the EFL Championship last season. The English youngster made 52 appearances for the West Yorkshire outfit in the previous campaign, scoring one goal and securing two assists on all fronts.
The 18-year-old managed to impress at both ends of the field based on his average of 2.1 tackles, 0.7 interceptions, 0.6 clearances and 1.0 dribbles per game in the EFL Championship. He has even been tidy when distributing possession from midfield after making 83.9% of his attempted passes in the second tier of English football (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the West Yorkshire club will run out in the summer of 2028 which could make it difficult for the Gunners to sign him on the cheap this off-season.
Should Arsenal Boss Mikel Arteta Snap Gray Up This Summer?
Gray loves a tackle and can make the odd interception for his side at the centre of the park. He doesn’t mind clearing his lines when the opposition are on the front foot. The English talent is a decent dribbler with the ball as well. However, he is still quite inexperienced at the highest level and would need time to adapt to life in top-flight football.
Gray mainly functions as a box-to-box midfielder but can also play as a defensive midfielder or as a right-back if told to do so. The English midfield ace is already good enough to serve as an important member of Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta‘s match-day squad.
At 18, the England Under-21 international has the potential to be a future star in English football. Therefore, he would be an excellent option for the Gunners to consider in the long run. With all things considered, Arsenal would be wise to snap Gray up in this summer transfer window.
