Leeds United teenage talent Harry Gray is rumoured to be of interest to Premier League rivals Manchester City, who are plotting a transfer raid
Kalvin Phillips departed Leeds United in 2022(Image: Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Premier League rivals Manchester City are reportedly eyeing a move for Leeds United starlet Harry Gray.
The 17-year-old forward is a product of the club’s academy but has made just a single first-team appearance, coming on as a late substitute against Stoke City in the Championship last season. This term, he has predominantly featured for the youth sides, but has been included in two first-team matchday squads in the Premier League and Carabao Cup without securing any minutes.
Back in October, Gray signed his first professional contract with his boyhood club, agreeing a long-term deal until 2027. However, that has not prevented rival clubs from eyeing a move, with Manchester City the latest to be linked with the teenager.
That is according to journalist Alan Nixon, who claims the Manchester club are plotting a big-money move for the starlet, although it could take a fee in the region of £40million to tempt Leeds into a sale.
The report adds that Gray is viewed as a long-term starter at the Etihad Stadium and has been on their radar for quite some time.
Gray’s older brother, Archie, also came through the youth ranks at Elland Road and made over 50 senior appearances for the Whites. The midfielder was poached by Tottenham in the summer of 2024, also for a fee in the region of £40 million.
Since making the move to north London, Gray senior has amassed just shy of 60 appearances. He is yet to score or register an assist but remains under contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium until 2030.
Leeds United starlet Harry Gray has been linked with a move to Manchester City(Image: Photo by Malcolm Bryce/Leeds United FC via Getty Images)
Nixon’s report notes that City could look to offer a player in exchange for Gray junior in order to sweeten the deal and lower the overall fee. Former Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips is rumoured to be the obvious candidate if such a deal is on the cards.
Phillips, now 30, is also a product of Leeds United’s academy and went on to make over 230 senior appearances for the club across all competitions, scoring 14 times and registering 13 assists. However, he was signed by Manchester City in the summer of 2022 for £45million.
The midfielder’s time at the Etihad Stadium has been far from straightforward, having made just 32 appearances in all competitions for Pep Guardiola’s side in the space of three years. Instead, he has had failed loan spells at West Ham and Ipswich Town, with little sight of regular first-team football at City.
This season, Phillips has made just one appearance for his current club, with seven minutes of action off the bench in the third-round Carabao Cup win over Huddersfield Town. He was included in one other League Cup matchday squad but has been left out entirely of all Premier League and Champions League matches this term.
However, Nixon’s report does note that Phillips’ current wages are likely to be a sticking point, which could also explain why he was unable to secure a move during the summer window. The England international is reported to earn £150,000 per week, which is significantly higher than Leeds’ reported current highest earner, Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Here at LeedsLive, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Leeds United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest Leeds news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.