'We'll see' Archie Gray £20m transfer to Tottenham or Man City amid Leeds exit debate

Leeds United chairman Paarag Marathe may have kept the door open on a potential sale of Archie Gray this summer, but a sale at any price goes against all the messages coming out of the club in recent weeks. It's no surprise to see Gray continually linked with a host of clubs across the continent such is the rising stock of a teenager seen in the game as one of the best prospects around.

Today is it being reporter Gray could depart Leeds for a figure of £20m, or even potentially lower than that, with The Sun reporting Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City are ready to pounce and pick him up at what would be seen by Leeds supporters as a steal. Questions are being asked at just what is a fair price for an 18-year-old of his experience, but undoubted talent? Is £30m enough, or how about £40m?

There is perhaps a common misconception that Leeds are in need of quick sales to ease a financial crisis after failing to make an immediate return to the Premier League.

It's a fact Leeds owe a substantial amount of money to clubs for previous transfer business, a figure put somewhere around £190m. What is not taken into account is the money still owed to the Whites for departures such as Luis Sinisterra and Tyler Adams, nor the money set to arrive for Marc Roca's move. While that may only take the edge off a £190m total, a substantial fee for Crysencio Summerville which is expected to be north of £35m will have a further significant impact.

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49ers enterprises were aware of the money owed before purchasing the club and repayment plans are in place. A fire sale of the squad is not needed, and there is the misconception when some expect to see a host of Leeds players depart for reduced transfer fees. Leeds, backed by a new Red Bull investment, will play hardball on Summerville over the coming weeks and will do so on Gray.

Speaking in the wake of Leeds' loss in the Championship play-off final to Southampton, Marathe said; “There are certain trade-offs we have to make and so we'll have to get to the drawing board and figure out which moves we have to make to make sure we are compliant.

"Archie is a tremendous player, as [are] all of the players who put in so much effort for us, but every season brings change. I can't yet comment on it, but we'll see what happens.”

That quote is the reality of the situation Leeds face in knowing they cannot guarantee keeping hold of a player being courted by some of the biggest clubs in the game, but at the same time the club will fight to ensure they get exactly what they feel Gray is worth.

Gray is seen as an attractive signing, but with his tender age and with just one year of Championship football behind him, Leeds are not going to get £50m or something like what many at Elland Road would hope to see him go for. At the same time Leeds can afford to dig their heels in and he won't be allowed to leave for a cut-price figure either.