England boss Gareth Southgate has already made feelings clear as Tottenham 'work on hijack'

England manager Gareth Southgate sees a bright future for Leeds United's young sensation, Archie Gray, as Tottenham plot a move to bring him to north London.

The 18-year-old midfield prodigy from Durham has had a stunning spell in the Championship this year with Leeds, making a commendable 44 appearances under the guidance of Daniel Farke. Moreover, Gray's performance in England's Under-21 squad has been no less impressive, with him netting a goal against Azerbaijan in his debut earlier this year.

And his efforts at club level in particular have certainly not skipped Southgate's notice. Back in May, the England boss lauded Gray's hard work and dedication at his club and hinted at including the youngster in upcoming senior England squads.

While unveiling the Euro 2024 squad last month, Southgate said: "There are some players with the Under-21s who are doing exceptionally well, especially in midfield. The likes of Kobbie Mainoo, Harvey Elliott, Rico [Lewis] was with us last time, Archie Gray at Leeds is doing very, very well I have to say, so there are a number of players in that group we could move in."

The last Championship run saw Leeds secure a third-place finish, before falling short to Southampton in the Wembley Play-Off final. But many top-tier league gaffers believe that another stint in the Championship may push Gray to consider transfer offers, reports the Express.

Leeds has reportedly rejected a whopping £40million offer from Brentford for the midfield starlet, even though he was permitted for a medical check-up over the weekend. And Spurs have reportedly kicked off negotiations for the much-coveted midfielder after keeping tabs on him for an extended period.

Tottenham boss, Ange Postecoglu, is set to have a sit-down with the sought-after youngster this Sunday, as he aims to seal what could be a thrilling transfer. Chelsea and Arsenal might be in the race for the prodigious teen, but The Athletic report that Gray's got his sights set on Tottenham.

With Leeds' head honcho Paraag Marathe hinting at the need to balance the books, this deal might just be on the fast track. Marathe recently said: "If I can paint the big picture for you, there are certain things that we need to do, and we will make sure we are fully compliant with PSR, as we always have been.

"And there are certain trade-offs that we have to make and so we'll have to get to the drawing board and figure out which moves we have to make sure that we are compliant. It's too early to say. Obviously Archie is a tremendous player, as are all of the players who put in so much effort for us, but you know, every season brings change and so I can't yet comment on it, but we'll see what happens."

Gray's arrival would be a major boost for Spurs' midfield, particularly after Tanguy Ndombele parted ways with the club. If Tottenham want to secure the hot prospect, they'll need to offer up the £30 million that Leeds are reportedly asking for.

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