Brentford in talks to make Leeds United midfielder Archie Gray record signing in £40m deal

Archie Gray (left) is the son of former Nottingham Forest and Leeds United striker Andy Gray - Reuters/Andrew Boyers

Brentford are in talks over a deal worth £40 million for Leeds United midfielder Archie Gray after moving swiftly for the England Under-21 international.

Gray, 18, has been on the wanted list of several Premier League clubs over a summer move but Brentford made their move in an attempt to wrap up a deal over the weekend.

Discussions over the move include around £5 million of the package coming in add-ons for the player who came through the Academy at Leeds and was named on the bench by Marcelo Bielsa when he was manager.

There is confidence of a deal going through which would make Gray a record signing for Brentford, with the current most expensive player being Igor Thiago who was signed from Club Brugge in a deal worth £30 million.

Leeds have been expected to sell players this summer following their failure to get promoted back to the Premier League. Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Willy Gnonto are among their young assets.

Eight senior players were due back at the end of the season from loans, while Robin Koch and Luis Sinisterra have already agreed permanent deals after moving away.

“The sessions with Marcelo, they were so good,” said Gray in an interview when asked about Bielsa. “People know how tough they were because a lot was said about it at the time but I took so much from him. As hard as it was, and all the running you did, some of what I learned was priceless.”

Gray, the great nephew of former Leeds player and manager Eddie Gray, made 52 appearances last season in several positions for Daniel Farke, helping them reach the play-off final. He joined the Leeds academy at eight and has represented England junior teams at every age group.

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