Graham Smyth feels that any club would have to pay more than Kalvin Phillips’ transfer cost to acquire Archie Gray from Leeds United this summer.
According to the Manchester Evening News, Manchester City signed Phillips from Elland Road for £42 million in the summer of 2022, a deal that appears to have failed to benefit the midfield player.
Gray has been linked with a number of teams after Leeds failed to gain promotion to the Premier League, with Alan Nixon suggesting that Borussia Dortmund is interested in the 18-year-old.
During the Inside Elland Road podcast on Thursday (6 June), Smyth mentioned Archie Gray. I believe he’ll be here. The undeniable fact for me is that he comes from a family that values where you play football.
“You can talk until the cows come home about Gray needing to pick up his competition to improve. He is only 18; one more season in the Championship will do him the world of good. It’s not like he dominated every opponent this season. There is still some learning to be done.
“Farke was virtually often coming over to give him small pieces of advice after games. Farke asked him to accomplish some things that he didn’t quite manage. He is still learning the game, and he will continue to learn it quickly in the Championship with Leeds.
“He’ll be playing, relied on, and adding some really valuable minutes, which would not be the case if he moved to the Premier League. There is no point going to a club that will finish 12th or lower.
“The Dortmund story is 80% likely because Bellingham went there as an English midfielder.
“If a move like that came around, and they slapped down something on the table that was well north of what Leeds received for Kalvin Phillips because it would have to be, it would have to be higher than the £42million they received from Manchester City, and include a sell-on clause.”
Could Archie Gray leave Leeds United this summer?
Leeds must compete in the Championship for another season, and there are continuous financial issues at Elland Road, therefore no player is safe from a transfer bid this summer.
Gray, for example, has had a sensational breakout season under Daniel Farke, demonstrating his versatility to fill in at different positions and become a vital part of the squad.
While Crysencio Summerville, Wilfried Gnonto, and Georginio Rutter are all players who could leave Elland Road this summer, Farke is likely to earn promotion at the second attempt.
The manager hopes to develop around Gray, who is only 18 years old, and have him playing Premier League games with his boyhood club shortly.
However, it would be tough for the Whites to turn down a big offer, especially given the club’s need to pay off unpaid transfer costs in order to avoid penalties.
They can surely do it without selling Gray.
