Football League World
·9. November 2024
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·9. November 2024
Paul Robinson believes there's no chance of Leeds re-signing Gray during the January window.
Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson believes his old side have no chance of re-signing Archie Gray during the January transfer window.
Speaking to Football Insider, he believes there's "no chance" that the Whites will be able to seal a reunion with the versatile youngster, who has understandably seen his game time limited this season.
Last term, Gray was one of the first names on the teamsheet in West Yorkshire, starting the season in central midfield in the absence of depth in this area, before moving to right-back.
He spent much of the 2023/24 campaign in the latter position, and even though this wasn't his natural position, he excelled on the right-hand side.
Impressing in the first team despite his tender age, he was one of the favourites to move on from Elland Road following the Whites' failure to secure a Premier League return at the first time of asking, with their play-off final defeat against Southampton consigning them to another season in the Championship.
And he ended up making the move to Spurs in a deal believed to be worth around £30m - a blow to Leeds fans who would have wanted to see him continue his development in West Yorkshire.
The sale of Gray and other key men during the previous window allowed Leeds to bring in some top-quality additions, but their midfield has had to be addressed again since the summer, with Josuha Guilavogui arriving after Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev were ruled out of action with injuries.
With their midfield not having a huge amount of depth after seeing Ampadu and Gruev sidelined, a move for Gray in January could potentially aid their cause.
But Robinson believes Leeds will have to look elsewhere.
Rating their chances of re-signing Gray, he said: "Absolutely no chance.
"He’s only just signed for Tottenham. His Tottenham career is going exactly according to plan as to what Ange Postecoglou would have wanted.
"He wasn’t a player that was going to come in, start every game, he’s a very young player he’s got huge potential and he’s already shown that he’s got a great talent.
"He’s been given opportunities in the European games. He’s played at centre-back, he’s played at right-back, played in midfield, and it will take you time to bed into a club like Tottenham.
"Archie Gray’s Tottenham career is exactly on track for where everybody expected and wanted it to be. Again, it’s just kite-flying journalism."
Gray should be seen as part of the past at Leeds now.
There's probably no chance of getting him back in January.
His game time at Spurs may have been limited in the league this term, but he's still earning a respectable amount of game time under his belt, considering his age.
And this is why it would be difficult to see Tottenham letting him go out on loan in January.
And even if he did secure a loan exit this winter, it wouldn't make sense for him to go back to the English second tier, because that would be a step backwards for him.