Leeds United fired starting gun on Archie Gray bidding war with Joe Rodon and Oliver Skipp twist

Permission to start a medical with Brentford was always going to fire the starting gun on bids for Archie Gray at Leeds United. While the Bees ultimately failed to meet United's demands on a payment structure, Tottenham Hotspur have now predictably made their move for the 18-year-old.

The Athletic reports Spurs are in the early stages of a push to take Gray to North London with an expectation all parties can find an agreement. That development must come as a surprise to nobody.

The Whites showed their hand on Gray in the talks with Brentford and that has alerted Tottenham, Chelsea, Aston Villa and more to an opportunity. There had been some doubt whether Leeds would choose to sell their prodigy this summer if they could raise decent sums for the likes of Crysencio Summerville and Wilfried Gnonto, but Saturday’s developments changed that.

READ MORE: Leeds United reject £40m deal as Chelsea, Tottenham and Aston Villa circle for Archie Gray

Brentford may not have been able to agree on the finer details of the £40m package with Leeds, but it’s a negotiation that has shown his other suitors what Paraag Marathe is looking for from a deal. Daniel Levy and Todd Boehly know what it will take to bring United to the table on a deal for Gray.

With Spurs moving quickly and Leeds willing to send Gray for a medical with Brentford yesterday, it’s clear there is a willingness on all sides for the teenager to depart this summer. If Gray does depart after one season of senior football at Elland Road, it will hit a lot of fans, who had dreamed of seeing the family dynasty grow with him, hard.

If it is to be Spurs, some will hope Joe Rodon and Oliver Skipp may be involved in any deal. They would need to agree to separate personal terms with Leeds, and play in the Championship, for that to come to pass, regardless of whether Tottenham include them in their Gray bid.