Leeds United manager Daniel Farke is under serious pressure to hand Harry Gray his Premier League debut after another sparkling performance for the Under-21s. There is a growing call for him to make the matchday squad against Wolves.
Farke wants to be careful about managing the 16-year-old striker’s development and recently insisted that he does not want to talk about him in public until he makes his next appearance in the first team.
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The teenager made his first team debut last season, but he has not made a single matchday squad in the Premier League this term, and his only appearance in the squad came in the EFL Cup defeat at Hillsborough, where he was an unused substitute.
With Leeds struggling to score goals this season, Gray’s performance in the Under-21s has given rise to calls for him to get his chance in the squad at least in the upcoming Premier League games.
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Leeds fans demand Harry Gray ‘spark’ from Daniel Farke
The 16-year-old striker grabbed the headlines on Tuesday night when he scored a hat-trick for the Leeds Under-21s against Scunthorpe in the National League Cup.
He has already scored four goals in three Premier League 2 appearances for the Under-21s, and now he has a hat-trick against a senior side, albeit Scunthorpe are a non-league team.
However, with Leeds’ senior strikers misfiring, the teenager’s performance was a reminder that the Whites have a real talent on their hands.
Leeds fans are not clamouring for him to start, but there is a legitimate demand for him to be at least an option from the bench in the Premier League.
The Whites are lacking spark in the frontline, and a Leeds fan believes that the young striker could be that from the bench in the Premier League.
Absolutely ! Why not ? We need a spark up front!
— Mariusz (@mariusz61367915) September 17, 2025
Another Leeds supporter insisted that he should receive proper cameos from the bench, rather than a token appearance, to build his confidence in the first team.
Absolutely yes , and don’t make it some 3 minute token gesture – he needs 15-20 minutes to build up his confidence & he’ll be pushing to start games
— Sean Gallagher (@seangallagher50) September 17, 2025
However, one Leeds fan did insist that everyone should calm down about Gray, as the hat-trick against Scunthorpe was not as great as it is being made out to be.
Because of a tap in & 2 goals any half decent keeper would have saved… pic.twitter.com/oTRHfx34cb
— Phil Dodsworth (@yorxman) September 17, 2025
Will we see Gray in the squad against Wolves?
Farke has been accused of ignoring the academy during his stint as Leeds manager, and he did sell Charlie Cresswell last year without giving him a proper run in the team.
Gray’s rapid development in the Under-21s has put pressure on the German manager to provide him with an opportunity to make his Premier League debut.
However, the Leeds boss is known for being stubborn, and he will not be giving away spots in the matchday squad under pressure from the fans.
It is also too early in the season for him to give up on some of the senior forwards, and he has two strikers on the bench in every game.
Gray may well have to wait for one of the senior forwards to pick up an injury before he is given a chance to be in the squad and hopefully, make his Premier League debut.
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