Joel Piroe has challenged his Leeds United team-mate Harry Gray to stay grounded and keep on developing his all round game. The highly-rated teenage striker featured as a late substitute in Saturday's pre-season friendly with La Liga side Villarreal.
Gray, who made his United debut at the back end of last season, has been in and around the first team set-up for some time. But the 16-year-old will have to be patient and wait for his opportunities to showcase his talent at Premier League level, with Piroe and Lukas Nmecha ahead of him in the pecking order for a striking berth. The Whites are also expected to bring in another centre-forward before the transfer window shuts on September 1 as Patrick Bamford, Mateo Joseph and Joe Gelhardt could all leave the club this summer.
Fresh from scoring against Villarreal, Piroe told the media: "I think he [Gray] still needs to improve a lot, but he's showing he's doing really well and I'm happy for him that he gets a chance as well to have a taste of what it feels like to be on the pitch, to be in and around the team. I just hope for him that he gets even more hungry from it as well, that he wants more and tries to keep developing."
On competition for places in attack, Piroe said: "In the Premier League at big clubs, wherever you are, you always face competition. So if it's a new signing or one from the academy who comes up, it will always be a better for the place and you just got to influence what you can yourself.
"For me it means playing well and keep scoring goals. That's how I would try and want to earn or keep my spot."
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