- 8 hours ago
Man Utd and Liverpool dealt HUGE blow in pursuit of England star
Cameron Smith
- 16 Jan 2024 21:05 GMT
- 3 min read
Manchester United and Liverpool’s hopes of signing Leeds United wonderkid Archie Gray have taken a major hit after he signed a new contract at Elland Road.
The 17-year-old has put pen to paper on a fresh deal, although Leeds have not disclosed the length of Gray’s new contract.
However, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has reported that it is valid until June 2028. Gray’s previous deal was due to expire in 2025, but he now contracted to Leeds for another four-and-a-half years.
The Englishman has made 28 appearances for Daniel Farke’s side so far this season after making his senior debut in the opening Championship game of the 2023-24 campaign.
His breakout onto the senior stage has attracted major interest from Liverpool with Jurgen Klopp’s side monitoring his progress in the second tier of English football.
FootballTransfers also understand that Man Utd are keen on landing Gray, but they are aware that he is unlikely to leave Leeds for their great rivals.
Either way, both Liverpool and Man Utd have suffered a blow given that Gray has committed his long-term future to Leeds.
✍️ #LUFC is delighted to announce Archie Gray has signed a new contract, committing his long-term future at Elland Road
— Leeds United (@LUFC) January 16, 2024
As a result, it’s extremely unlikely that he will leave the club in 2024 and the versatile midfielder may even look to remain at Elland Road for several years to come.
They are currently fourth in the Championship, 14 points behind league leaders Leicester City and seven points behind Ipswich Town, who are second.
Man Utd keen on Archie Gray
Before news of his contract extension at Leeds, FootballTransfers reported that Man Utd are targeting a move for Gray but there are fears around whether he would accept a move to Old Trafford given his family’s history with the Whites.
Sources inform us that Ineos are admirers of Gray and believe he suits their blueprint of recruiting young, emerging English talent.
The Leeds midfielder has over 20 caps for England's youth teams and currently has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €11.2 million.
