Leeds United are renowned for their ability to produce and develop young talent, with a clear pathway to the first-team a part of the fabric of the club for decades now.
Famously, Leeds United have tended to afford their young players opportunities, from Archie Gray and his well-documented rise in recent seasons, to the likes of Alan Smith and James Milner (pictured above) in the recent past as well.
There are a number of young players on Leeds’ books now who have come through their academy set-up, who will be hoping for more chances this season. However, that was easier to come by in the Championship compared to the Premier League.
The Leeds academy has been praised across Europe for producing talent. The current crop of talent includes the likes of Charlie Crew, Harry Gray, and Sam Chambers — and will all be hoping to break through into the first-team at some stage in the next few years.
AFC Bournemouth v Leeds United - Premier League
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Leeds’ academy development problem emerges
Prior to relegation just over two years ago, youth recruitment was a key feature during Victor Orta’s time with the club. For all his faults, Orta had an excellent eye for young talent and Leeds produced some excellent players during those seasons.
At some stage, they will want to put more emphasis on that again, with fewer outstanding players coming through beyond Gray and a handful of others.
When comparing that to Charlie Cresswell, Joe Gelhardt, and Crysencio Summerville’s U-21 side of a few years ago, it really highlights that there is a need for some added U-21 quality when they are established back in the Premier League.
That will help to future-proof them with the next generation of talent on top of Gray, Chambers, and the like. However, the below from The Athletic is somewhat of a concern.
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Jurgen Klopp spoke of wanting to win titles with “a team full of Scousers”.
Eddie Howe described the Geordies in his Newcastle United side as “very special… they bring a uniqueness about them”.
“He’s one of our own,” sing dozens of fanbases around the country.
Yet that number… pic.twitter.com/PqIPOuNU6S
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) September 9, 2025
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In terms of players brought up in the same city, county, or within a 45 minute drive of the club, Leeds have zero. Gray and Sam Byram are unfortunate to fall outside of those parameters, but it highlights a growing problem in recent years.
Per @lufcstats on Twitter/X, Leeds went on a run of more than 600 games of naming an academy player in their matchday squad, which started back in December 2009 against Southampton.
On 17/01/2022, he also posted: “Leeds United have played 526 Premier League games, they have named an academy player in their matchday squad in every single one of them going back to August 15 1992.”
That remained recently in their last Premier League stint in 2022/23, but it’s continued to be a problem into the current campaign. Dutch defender Pascal Struijk came through the ranks briefly after Ajax, but he does not count after arriving so late.
Even if he did count, he was the only player in the 20-man squad to do so against Newcastle United, with no Gray or Byram to be seen. That, per LUFCDATA, means Leeds’ record of 16 years has officially been broken.
Leeds United duo Daniel Farke and Harry Gray
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Leeds’ most promising youngster is Harry Gray, but who else?
Byram is from York and Gray was born in Durham, but even factoring in those parameters, Leeds have a clear problem in this regard.
Then, there is the fear of losing some players. Gray is nominated for awards at U-21 level already, which is absolutely going to stir up more interest in Leeds’ young striker from Spurs.
Gray could join brother Archie at Tottenham, following transfer links emerging last season. That would leave them even shorter of elite young talent.
With Leeds’ best youngster Gray described as ‘special’, it would be terrible to lose a player deemed Leeds’ “crowning jewel” by Graham Smyth.
The problem is that no one is at his level, which is why investment and resources are needed in this aspect of the club as soon as possible. Ideally, Leeds will also source more players locally, too.