Farke lays out Leeds first-team pathway for Harry Gray as Tottenham target is sent defiant message

Daniel Farke has told reported Tottenham Hotspur target Harry Gray that there is “no better manager for his development than me” after making clear when and how the teenager would be afforded more chances to impress at Leeds United.

The teenager has been in the headlines this week, having first been linked with a move south to Tottenham, who could hand in a professional deal before Leeds United on his 17th birthday, and secondly, after scoring a brilliant hat-trick for the club’s Under-21s side this week in a victory over Scunthorpe.

Gray’s fine form in front of goal is in total juxtaposition to that of Leeds United’s senior side, who are yet to score from open play in the Premier League this season, and having now gone three straight games without registering in the competition.

As a result, the clamour for Gray to earn selection to Leeds United’s starting XI, despite his tender age of 16, has grown louder than ever as a result.

However, despite claims Gray could join older brother Archie in leaving Elland Road for Tottenham, Farke is adamant that Gray’s chance will come – and insists there is no one better to manage his progress than the Whites manager himself.

“I’ve said everything I have to say about him in one of my last press conferences,” Farke told a press conference on Thursday.

“I won’t speak about him until we see him on the grass, and I would say nothing has changed. In general, believe me, I’m far away from wanting to come across arrogant or over-confident, but I’ve started my career in the fourth tier in Germany [where I needed to] develop young players in order to be able to sell them one day.

“I overtook the most important youth team in Germany at Borussia Dortmund, worked with some of the best talents in Europe and was trusted to develop these young players.

“At Norwich, I replaced our club captain with a 20-year-old German centre-back and believe me, it was not easy in the dressing room. In the second season, I replaced a fan favourite and club captain Ivo Pinto with 18-year-old Max Aarons in his position and it was not easy in the dressing room…”

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Farke will blood Harry Gray for Leeds in his own time

Turning his thoughts to Leeds and how he has given chances to both Archie Gray and Mateo Joseph, over senior stars, Farke has indicated that the younger of the Gray siblings’ chances will come eventually.

“When I came to Leeds, I had Archie Gray and we replaced a big leader, club legend Luke Ayling with a 17-year-old and it was not easy in the dressing room. Last season, I played Mateo Joseph instead of Joel Piroe.

“I gave Harry his debut at 16 last season in the crunch time period. If I would back a manager to be brave enough to play a young player and know what a young player needs, I would pick me.”

Despite the wishes for Gray to be more involved, Farke insists the teenage prospect still needs time to develop and he will be forced into blooding him properly before he is ready, knowing it could have a detrimental effect.

“He needs training sessions with the first team to get used to proper physicality of men’s football,” Farke added. “He needs game time with the 21s to not lose his rhythm and confidence and striker instinct.

“What he needs most is time and peace in order to grow. You will see him once he’s prepared for Premier League games and then we can speak about him more.”

Leeds latest: Double ace card to secure Harry Wilson; Tanaka concerns

Meanwhile, Leeds have strong reasons to believe that a January move to sign Harry Wilson remains on the cards – with Farke optimistic that two major factors can help bat away the attentions of one of Premier League rivals Everton for the Fulham winger.

Elsewhere, Ao Tanaka finds himself a player in increased demand, and after the player’s recent admission that he could have left over the summer, sources have named the clubs keen and have explained why Farke’s side are not out of the woods just yet.

And finally, while Farke says he will pick from either Jack Harrison or Brenden Aaronson to start down the right side of the Leeds attack at Wolves on Saturday, we have picked the best front three the Whites must ultimately go with over the course of the season.

The Gray family dynasty at Leeds

➡️ The Gray connection with Leeds first began way back in 1964 when Eddie Gray, a then unknown teenager from Glasgow, signed for the Whites. He made his debut for the club on New Year’s Day in 1966, while just 18. Eddie went on to make 577 appearances for Leeds, where he was a one-club man, and ending his playing career in the 1983/84 season, some 18 years later.

➡️ Eddie Gray’s brother, Frank, also played for Leeds United, though to lesser success than Eddie. Frank, or Francis to give him his birth name, played for Leeds across two spells (from 1972 to 1979 and then from 1981 to 1985).

➡️ Frank Gray’s son, Andy – the father of Archie and Harry Gray – also played for Leeds. Debuting at Leeds in 1995 and playing in the 1996 League Cup final, Gray would later go on to play for Scotland, as well as representing Nottingham Forest and Sunderland in the Premier League.

➡️ Archie Gray debuted for Leeds in August 2023 while just 17, though he had been named on the bench as a 15-year-old back in December 2021. He made 52 appearances for the Whites, before leaving in a £40m deal for Spurs on 2 July, 2024.

➡️ Harry Gray made his debut for Leeds as an 86th-minute substitute for Brendan Aaronson in a 6–0 Championship league win over Stoke City on 21 April 2025. He was also included in the England squad for the 2025 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.