Leeds United are back in the big time. They are playing in the Premier League under Daniel Farke and are looking to avoid relegation at the first time of asking.
They are on one of the biggest stages at club level in Europe, playing some of the best teams in the world, and this means that the club, the manager, and the players have a big platform to showcase themselves.
Whilst some may view that in a negative sense of players looking to audition themselves to bigger clubs in the future, which does happen, there are other ways to look at it.
For example, playing in the Premier League means that the players are testing themselves against the best, and that can attract attention from their country’s international managers, opening the door to potential call-ups.
Kalvin Phillips is a prime example of that. He emerged as a regular for England under Gareth Southgate after impressing in the Premier League with Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds in the 2020/21 campaign.
Although his initial call-up came before his top-flight debut, it was during his time at the top level that saw him fully establish himself and play in a European Championship final for England.
The Leeds players who are playing for an England call-up
Farke has a clutch of English players who will be hoping that their performances in the Premier League for Leeds this season will enhance their chances of making the England squad for the World Cup next summer.
As aforementioned, the club’s promotion to the division means that their players have the platform they need to show Thomas Tuchel that they have what it takes to make the squad.
Only two players in the current Leeds team have been capped by England at senior level, James Justin and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but there are other players who may hope that their form this season can earn them a maiden call-up before the trip to America.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
28
11
James Justin
27
1
Sam Byram
32
0
Alex Cairns
32
0
Jack Harrison
28
0
Sean Longstaff
27
0
Jayden Bogle
25
0
Sean Longstaff, for example, has yet to be capped by England but he has produced some impressive performances for the Whites, including a goal and an assist in the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth.
Jayden Bogle has also nailed down the right-back position at Elland Road and may hope that his performances can earn him a call-up. Competition from Djed Spence, Reece James, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kyle Walker, and Tino Livramento, though, means that it will be difficult.
Jack Harrison, Alex Cairns, James Justin, and Sam Byram, meanwhile, are all 28 or older and are currently back-up options in West Yorkshire, which does not suggest that they will be forcing their way into England contention any time soon.
However, one thing that we have seen with England in recent years is that young players can very quickly burst onto the scene and emerge as key players for the Three Lions.
Jude Bellingham made his England debut at 17. Myles Lewis-Skelly made his at 18. Bukayo Saka, who scored against Wales last week, made his debut at 19.
In The Pipeline
Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
Because of the platform that the Premier League provides, a young player can very quickly go from making their debut to being in England conversations, as Saka did at Arsenal after making his debut at the age of 17. The winger has since scored 13 goals in 46 caps for his country.
Leeds, therefore, could unearth their own Saka-type player by unleashing Harry Gray in the first-team this season, as he has the potential to be a future star for club and country.
Why Harry Gray could be a Bukayo Saka-type player
The teenage striker, who is the brother of Archie Gray, has been in fantastic form for the club at youth level, and could be in line for more first-team involvement in the near future.
Farke handed him a senior debut against Stoke City in the Championship as a 16-year-old last season, whilst the manager also placed him on the bench against Wolves in the Premier League this term as a 17-year-old, which is the same age that Saka made his top-flight bow.
Gray has scored seven goals in six matches for the U21s this season, with four goals in four Premier League 2 outings (Transfermarkt), and a hat-trick in one of his two England National League Cup appearances against Scunthorpe United.
To date, the teenage sensation has scored eight goals in 11 games for the U18s and seven goals in 13 appearances for the U21s in the Leeds academy, which shows that he has been a prolific scorer for both age groups.
Analyst Ben Mattinson claimed that he can see the striker breaking into the first-team this season because he is a “very well-rounded striker profile and one of England’s best prospects in his generation”, which is certainly high praise.
Gray, who was described as “Leeds United’s newest wonderkid” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, will have to oust Calvert-Lewin from the team if he wants to emerge as a regular starter for the Whites in the Premier League.
Appearances
26
5
xG
6.75
1.34
Goals
3
1
Big chances missed
16
5
Minutes per goal
543
357
As you can see in the table above, Calvert-Lewin’s wastefulness in front of goal for Everton last season has carried over into the start of his career at Elland Road.
These statistics suggest that there could be an opening for Gray to fill if the 11-cap England international fails to turn his form around and prove that he can be a reliable striker for the Whites.
Therefore, there is a world in which the 17-year-old striker makes his breakthrough and becomes a starter for Leeds in the Premier League this season, if he can translate his prolific form at youth level over to the first-team.
Whether that would be enough to immediately put him in contention to make the England squad, that is up to Tuchel, but playing in the top-flight provides him with the potential to become the next Saka-type star to emerge as a teenage sensation for the Three Lions.
First, though, it is down to Farke to provide Gray with an opportunity to showcase his quality in the Premier League if Calvert-Lewin continues to struggle in front of goal.