Leeds United’s return to the Premier League has seen some fairly solid performances so far. Victory against Everton, a hard-fought draw with Newcastle and an unlucky defeat to Fulham have showcased Daniel Farke’s side’s defensive credentials. But undermining all this is one glaring problem: a lack of goals. Despite carving out chances and enjoying spells on top in matches, Leeds haven’t converted a single chance from open play in the Premier League so far this season.
The club reshaped its frontline in the summer, releasing long-serving Patrick Bamford and sending unfulfiled prospect Mateo Joseph out on loan. In their place came Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, both tasked with bringing firepower to Elland Road. Nmecha certainly has the physicality to compete at this level, but he has never been renowned for his goalscoring prowess. Calvert-Lewin, meanwhile, continues to be dogged by the same questions about fitness and consistency that plagued his last few seasons at Everton. In short, Leeds’ attack looks like it’s missing a reliable, week-in, week-out scorer. This shortage has only sharpened the clamour from fans for the next big talent, Harry Gray, to be fast-tracked into the senior setup.
Son of Andy Gray, grandson of Frank Gray and great-nephew of Eddie, 16-year-old Harry carries one of Elland Road’s most famous surnames. But it’s not just his family tree turning heads, it’s his football. Already part of the England youth setup and a regular with Leeds’ Under-21s despite his age, Gray has shown the poise and finishing instinct his senior counterparts have often lacked this season. Those calls for inclusion grew even louder after Leeds U21s’ 3-1 National League Cup win over Scunthorpe United, where Gray scored all three goals in a clinical display.
For his first, he made a run unmarked to the back post there he steered the ball home, showing sharp movement and awareness. For his second, he took matters into his own hands, curling a direct free kick into the far top corner from just outside the area. For his third, he collected the ball in midfield, took on three defenders, and slotted low into the corner from 20 yards. It was the full range of a natural striker’s toolkit, movement, set-piece quality, dribbling, pace, composure, and predatory instinct, all in the space of 90 minutes. Unlike most of the first team, he can certainly take a free kick too!
Unsurprisingly, the performance sparked a wave of excitement across social media and supporter forums, with fans demanding Gray be included in the first-team squad. Yet Farke has already made clear he is reluctant to push the teenager too soon. Speaking before the season opener against Everton, the German was firm in his message about protecting the youngster.
The plan is to move the focus away from him and not speak about him too much. He’s a 16-year-old youngster. I won’t speak too much about him in the future because it’s difficult when you play for Leeds United with his last name aged 16 when the whole stadium is singing your name. It’s not healthy for the development of the young player. My message is leave him alone a little bit and give him time to grow and develop. This is the last time for a while I will speak about Harry in a press conference.
Farke's comments underline the delicate balance, protecting a precocious talent from undue pressure while also recognising that his ability is already sparking genuine debate about his readiness. Few would argue that a 16-year-old should be burdened with leading the line in the Premier League, but Leeds’ lack of goals makes the idea of Gray featuring, at least from the bench, more appealing by the week. If the drought continues, Farke may find it impossible to avoid the conversation he hoped to silence back in August.
Leeds have long prided themselves on producing talent from their academy, and Harry Gray looks every inch the next in that proud Gray family lineage. But is the clamour to introduce him sooner rather than later justified, or would his development be better served away from the glare and the expectation of carrying a Premier League attack?