Leeds had a “very talented” gem who was ahead of Gray, then he left for £0

Whilst Leeds United have been known to flex their muscles whenever a transfer window opens in terms of classy incomings, the Championship giants should also be commended for how often they gift homegrown talents a chance in the senior mix.

This season has seen Daniel Farke throw the likes of Mateo Joseph into first-team action without much hesitation with the Thorp Arch product now up to six goals from a bumper 70 first-team chances while 17-year-old Sam Chambers earned a debut against Plymouth last November.

Every player that breaks into the first team picture from the esteemed academy will be aiming to replicate Archie Gray’s rise, with the versatile 19-year-old now on the books of Tottenham Hotspur after a major £30m switch last summer.

It’s up to Farke to unearth his next diamond in the same mould as Gray as a number of top starlets in the here and now begin to bang down the door for some senior opportunities.

Leeds’ best academy prospects in 2025

Obviously, it is unlikely that every single talent that leaps up into the senior side from the academy structure will be a rip-roaring success.

But, the conveyer belt has worked wonders recently and it could do so again, particularly if Rhys Chadwick ends up making a name for himself down the line.

Amazingly, Chadwick has amassed six goals and four assists this season in the U21 structure, with the 18-year-old’s ability to play in a whole range of different positions making him a likely candidate to be the club’s next Gray-like figure.

Moreover, there is Luca Thomas who will have caught Farke’s eye, with the exciting winger helping himself to four goals and two assists out on loan this campaign at nearby York City and FC Halifax Town.

But, away from those who currently harbour aspirations of being a superstar under Farke’s guidance, there are other youth players who ended up falling by the wayside.

One talented young prospect was even ahead of the aforementioned Gray.

The Leeds academy star who was ahead of Gray

For all the Grays of this world, there are a whole host of other homegrown players that never make the cut.

Indeed, that is the case with now 21-year-old Morten Spencer, who joined the Whites ranks back in 2019 with plenty of hype attached to his name.

Spencer allegedly attracted interest from the likes of Manchester City before making the move to Thorp Arch a reality, after a promising stint in the Sunderland academy piqued the interest of the West Yorkshire outfit.

Hailed as a “very talented” young player by his own mother Heidi Spencer when still on the books of the Black Cats, it’s clear that Leeds must have thought they’d hit the jackpot with the ex-Norway U18 international when he first arrived at Elland Road.

He initially went on to succeed playing for both the U18s and U21s, with his debut in the U18 bracket coming way before Gray was handed his first chance. Indeed, the Spurs youngster would first line up for the U18s in August of 2021, a couple of months on from Spencer’s introduction into the side.

But, as much as Spencer would fire home seven strikes and pick up eight assists for both the U18s and U21s, he never earned himself any first-team minutes, culminating in his release in June of last year.

That same summer, Gray was eventually rewarded with a huge Premier League move, with Farke hopeful that the next crop of youngsters coming through won’t fall victim to Spencer’s regrettable fate.