Speaking recently on the Sky Sports Transfer Talk podcast, Dharmesh Sheth discussed the future of Leicester City winger and reported Leeds United target, Demarai Gray.
Since joining Leicester from Birmingham City in what was a £4.59 million deal back in 2016, Gray has gone on to feature 169 times for the Foxes, scoring 13 goals and providing 17 assists along the way.
However, so far this season, the £10.8 million-rated 24-year-old has found game time extremely hard to come by under Brendan Rodgers, with his only Premier League football coming as an 18-minute cameo against Crystal Palace and his only start being in the club’s third-round Carabao Cup defeat to Arsenal.
As such, the left-winger has been linked to a number of clubs in the January transfer window, with the Daily Mail (via The Boot Room) reporting that Leeds are leading the race for the England U21 international.
And, the future of Gray was one topic of discussion on a recent episode of the Transfer Talk podcast, in which Sheth claimed that it looks increasingly unlikely the 24-year-old will remain at Leicester beyond this summer.
He said: “No new deal for Gray – looks increasingly likely he will leave. He’s got six months left on his current deal and has been linked with both Leeds United and Southampton, but it’s understood Gray would be open to moving abroad as he looks to get first-team football, with the French club Marseille interested. Now, if he wasn’t to go to Marseille or a foreign club this month, he could, of course, sign a pre-contract agreement now and join them for free in the summer.”
Would Gray be a good signing for Leeds?
Yes
No
TIF Thoughts on Dharmesh Sheth’s comments regarding the future of Demarai Gray…
As such, it would appear that, despite Leeds’ apparent interest in Gray, should the club not act in the January transfer market, then they run the risk of losing out on the player in the summer, as the 24-year-old is free to discuss pre-contract terms with overseas clubs, with Marseille thought to be interested.
However, with Marcelo Bielsa’s already having the likes of Jack Harrison, Raphinha, Helder Costa and Ian Poveda in his first-team squad, who are all capable of operating from either wing, the question must be asked as to whether Gray is a signing that Leeds desperately need.