The rise and rise of Archie Gray, the increasingly important figure in another traumatic campaign at Tottenham Hotspur

This season has been one of the most turbulent in Tottenham Hotspur’s modern history and could yet end in disaster as the spectre of relegation looms.

But one of the shining lights amidst the doom and gloom has been youngster Archie Gray, who has once again performed admirably in a number of positions.

Here, DAZN News reporter Ross Heppenstall charts the rise of the 20-year-old Leeds United academy graduate as Spurs prepare to take on Atletico Madrid in tonight’s Champions League Last-16 second leg.

A famous football dynasty

Gray’s father, Andy, grandfather Frank and great-uncle Eddie all played for Leeds and Archie followed in their footsteps by joining the Yorkshire club’s vaunted academy at the age of seven.

He progressed through the ranks at Thorp Arch and made rapid strides, catching the eye of Marcelo Bielsa as a teenager and being asked to train with Leeds’ senior squad.

Gray, a tall, rangy midfielder, was still at school and studying for his GCSEs when Bielsa named him on the bench for a Premier League game against Arsenal in December 2021. 

He was just 15 at the time and dad Andy says of Archie’s integration into Leeds’ first-team squad: “To have someone like Bielsa as your first manager, when you’re still at school, was unbelievable.

“I was telling Archie at the time, 'this isn’t actually real, this shouldn’t really be happening, so take it all in’.

“I think he did, as much as a young lad can do, and really appreciated how fortunate he was.”

Archie's younger brother Harry, a hugely promising 17-year-old striker, made his debut for Leeds in the Championship last season and is currently on loan at League One outfit Rotherham United.

In August 2023, on the opening day of the Championship season, Archie made his senior debut for Leeds in a 2-2 draw at home to Cardiff City as a 17-year-old.

Archie, the eldest of four brothers, has not looked back since.

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Thriving under Farke before being sold

Gray, who stands about 6ft 2in, broke into the Leeds side as a central midfielder but also impressed hugely at right-back during the 2023-24 campaign.

He thrived in both positions under Daniel Farke and quickly emerged as one of the most promising young talents outside of the Premier League.

Despite his tender years, Gray became one of Leeds’ most important players, making 52 appearances as the Whites reached the 2023-24 Championship play-off final against Southampton.

Leeds lost 1-0 to Saints at Wembley, prompting the sale of Gray, Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville to Tottenham, Brighton and West Ham, respectively.

Gray went for a fee of between £30-40million, underlining his status as a player of huge potential and with the temperament to match his talent.

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European glory under Big Ange

Turbulent barely begins to describe life at Tottenham last season under Ange Postecoglou.

They won the Europa League to lift the club’s first trophy in 17 years, but also slumped to their worst-ever Premier League finish.

Spurs were decimated by injuries, forcing Postecoglou to play teenagers Gray and Lucas Bergvall on a regular basis.

Gray showed his ability to play different positions by filling in at centre-back, full-back and across midfield, making 48 appearances for club and country.

Nick Montgomery, the former Sheffield United midfielder, served as Postecoglou’s assistant at Spurs and played with Gray’s father, Andy, at Sheffield United.

Montgomery said of the rollercoaster 2024-25 campaign at Spurs: “Every team suffers with injuries, but ours was a crisis due to the sheer number of players who were missing and the length of their absences.

“We were often playing three games a week, and I’m sure no one expected Archie and Lucas to play as many games as they did – especially Archie.

“He was playing left centre-back for a lot of the season, a position he’d never played, but that was the situation we were in, and his mentality is unbelievable.

“He never looked out of place and ended up being a stalwart for a big part of the season.”

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Amid major upheaval, Gray’s star continues to rise

Despite winning the Europa League, Spurs sacked Postecoglou at the end of last season and appointed Brentford boss Thomas Frank as his successor.

Once again, Gray made his mark under another manager, showing his versatility to fill numerous positions as a difficult campaign unfolded.

Gray scored the first goal of his senior career in a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on December 28; the last time Tottenham won in the Premier League.

He netted again in a 2-1 home defeat against Newcastle last month, which spelt the end of Frank’s ill-fated tenure.

In came Igor Tudor, an uncompromising Croat with no previous experience of the Premier League.

Significantly, Gray has played every minute so far under Tudor and produced another classy display in Sunday’s potentially priceless 1-1 draw at Liverpool.

Gray has played right-wing-back, left-back and central midfield during Tudor’s terrible reign, and the interim boss said last week: “Archie Gray’s an amazing player, but that (constant change) means that something’s wrong.

“Beautiful guy, beautiful player. I didn't know him before so much, so from inside, he has my big respect.”

Whereas a number of far more senior Spurs players have gone missing in action in recent weeks, Gray has shown a remarkable maturity and leadership qualities which mark him out as a future captain.

He only turned 20 last week, but has already made well over 100 senior career appearances. A senior Three Lions debut looks likely for a player who has progressed through the England age groups and whose star continues to rise.

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Watch the Champions League on DAZN

Every Champions League match this season can be watched on DAZN in Canada and New Zealand. 

For US soccer fans, watch Tottenham vs Atletico Madrid and Manchester City vs Real Madrid in the Last 16 exclusively on DAZN, in Spanish language.