Leeds United fans needed a pick-me-up after Saturday’s defeat to Burnley, and they got it on Tuesday afternoon, with the club confirming Harry Gray had signed his first professional deal.
LeedsUnited.News understands that a deal had been agreed in principle between Gray and Leeds much earlier this month, but it has taken until Tuesday evening for the club to announce Gray is staying put.
Leeds were able to offer Gray a professional contract after the Thorp Arch academy product, the fifth member of the Gray family to play for Leeds, had turned 17 at the beginning of the month, the eighth.
Now, Gray has put pen to paper after making his professional debut for Leeds last season. A moment that saw great uncle Eddie, an Elland Road legend, shedding tears from the terraces as Harry raced on.
Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty ImagesDominic Calvert-Lewin helping Gray behind the scenes
Speaking to LUTV after putting pen to paper, Gray underlined his delight at signing a contract with Leeds. It comes after the likes of Tottenham and Man City had shown interest in the no.45 at Elland Road.
Gray said that summer signing Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been helping him behind the scenes since the England international arrived at Elland Road. Gray described Calvert-Lewin as a great player to learn from.
“He’s a great person to learn from. I learn a lot from him because he’s played so much in the Premier League, he’s got a lot of valuable experience I can learn from, little tips, he’s been helping me with that.”
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What are the chances that Gray makes his PL debut soon?
As things stand, Gray is still a rookie and while he might be banging the goals in at U21 level, it is still a world apart from Premier League football. That being said, he clearly has the potential to make it big.
As things stand, Gray is the club’s fourth-choice striker and possibly even fifth, with Noah Okafor likely to be preferred to Gray if it came to it. Calvert-Lewin, Joel Piroe and Lukas Nmecha all sit ahead of him.
But Piroe is being touted with a January exit as he struggles to get minutes, while Calvert-Lewin and Nmecha are renowned for their injury histories. Perhaps, a few things go Gray’s way, and he may start.