The next Alexander-Arnold? Why 17-year-old Liverpool target is valued at £40m

Robin Bairner

11 Nov 2023 09:42 GMT
11 min read

Leeds' Archie Gray has been linked with a £40m move to Liverpool — © ProShots

Liverpool are linked with a spectacular €46 million (£40m) move for Leeds United teenager Archie Gray.

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The 17-year-old only has 16 first-team appearances to his name and only made his debut for the Elland Road side back in August, when he was handed a start against Cardiff in a 2-2 home draw.

Since then, he has become a fixture in the first-team, starting all but three games across the Championship and EFL Cup.

But just why is Gray so highly valued?

© ProShots - Archie Gray in action for Leeds against Norwich in the Championship

The €46m price tag has been placed on him by Leeds, yet this is a highly ambitious valuation. Perhaps they have been emboldened by the success that Jude Bellingham has enjoyed since leaving Birmingham for €30m in 2020.

Not only is Gray lacking in first-team experience, his contract more pertinently expires in 2025, meaning that if he refuses to sign a new deal by the summer, there is a very real prospect of his team losing him for absolutely nothing the following summer.

Leeds cannot afford to price the youngster out of a transfer.

Archie Gray: English football's next great teen star

According to FootballTransfers’ Player Valuation Model, he has an expected transfer value of around €9m, although this figure has accelerated dramatically from €1.6m at the start of the season and is likely to continue its upward trend for some months to come as he continues to gain experience.

As for his on-field talents, Gray has not registered a goal or an assist for Leeds yet this season, but his athleticism has led him to be compared with Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Like the England star, he is capable of playing in a number of positions, which is one of the reasons that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is credited with an interest in him.

Gray started this season in midfield, where he has played a box-to-box or deeper role, but in recent weeks he has shifted into a right-back position for Leeds.

Gray vs Championship midfielders: Pressing 2023/24

His performances have stood up to scrutiny, too. Data analytics experts SciSports particularly rate his defensive contributions to the team from the heart of midfield, with Gray rating among the best in his position at pressing in the Championship, while he also scores well in terms of defensive positioning and prevention.

Clearly Gray still has a long way to go, but his raw attributes make him an exciting talent, even if it would be bold of Liverpool to complete a €46m deal for him.