Farke could land dream Gray rival in Leeds swoop for £40k-p/w dynamo

The January transfer window is a matter of days away from opening up for business and Leeds United could dip into the market to bolster their squad.

They are currently competing to secure an instant return to the Premier League after being relegated at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

The Whites are chasing automatic promotion and bringing in reinforcements next month could give the team a lift ahead of the second half of the campaign.

One position that could be addressed by head coach Daniel Farke and recruitment chief Nick Hammond is the full-back area as the Yorkshire-based outfit have struggled in that area.

Injuries to the likes of Stuart Dallas, Sam Byram, and Jamie Shackleton have restricted the manager’s options on both sides, whilst Djed Spence and Junior Firpo have also had their injury issues.

This has led to 17-year-old whiz Archie Gray nailing down the right-back position ahead of the experienced Luke Ayling despite being a central midfielder by trade.

Farke could now land a dream rival to Gray in the number two slot by securing a deal to sign reported transfer target Bright Osayi-Samuel.

Leeds transfer news – Bright Osayi-Samuel

It was recently reported by TEAMtalk that the Whites are one of a number of clubs interested in a possible swoop to sign the versatile defender in January.

The outlet named Premier League sides Wolverhampton Wanderers and Crystal Palace as two of the other teams in the race to secure the Nigeria international’s signature ahead of the second half of the campaign.

Palace are currently said to be leading the race as their recruitment chiefs have been impressed by his performances for Fenerbahce this season and they are now looking at a potential move for him in 2024.

His contract with the Turkish giants expires in the summer of 2025 and this means that the next two transfer window may represent their last chance to cash in before he could sign a pre-contract deal elsewhere in January 2025.

However, TEAMtalk did not reveal how much Fenerbahce are due to demand from any of the interested clubs in the upcoming January transfer window, or whether or not they are even prepared to sell him for any fee.

It will be difficult for Leeds to snap Osayi-Samuel up next month amid interest from two already-Premier League clubs as they will need to convince him to turn down top-flight football for five months in the Championship and the possibility of promotion.

If Farke can do that, though, then he could have a fantastic rival to Gray’s position in the team and it would allow the academy starlet to play more minutes in his natural position, instead of being needed to be the first-choice right-back for the remainder of the campaign.

Archie Gray’s season in numbers

The 17-year-old talent, who does not turn 18 until next March, has established himself as a regular starter in the Championship for Leeds this season.

Gray has racked up 23 league appearances for the Whites so far during the 2023/24 campaign and been selected as a starter in 21 of those matches.

As a natural central midfielder, the England U19 international has been a reliable outlet in possession for his side at right-back with a pass success rate of 83%, which ranks him within the top 14% of full-backs within the division this term.

This means that he is able to play out from the back under pressure without giving the ball back to the other team on a regular basis, which allows Leeds to bypass an opposition press to build up attacks.

Gray has also showcased his defensive capabilities with 2.7 tackles and interceptions combined to go along with 5.5 ball recoveries per match.

He has won 51% of his duels throughout the campaign and this shows that the teenager has held his own in physical battles, in spite of his age and inexperience.

These statistics prove that the English gem has taken to senior football like a duck to water, both in terms of the technical and physical attributes required of him.

However, Gray has only played four matches as a central midfielder so far this season and, therefore, has not had a good run in his natural position.

Osayi-Samuel could now come in to rival the teenager for his position at right-back whilst also opening the door for Farke to unleash the youngster in midfield more often.

The statistics that show why Leeds should sign Osayi-Samuel

The Fenerbahce star has been in impressive form so far this season and could be a superb addition to the squad to improve the team heading into the second half of the campaign.

Osayi-Samuel has emerged as a regular starter for the Turkish side at right-back this term and has showcased his qualities in and out of possession.

The 25-year-old dynamo has completed an eye-catching 87% of his attempted passes, which is more impressive than Gray’s 83% success rate, and this shows that he is reliable on the ball and able to retain possession far more often than not.

He has also caught the eye with his defensive qualities in the Super Lig with 3.2 tackles and interceptions combined and 4.8 ball recoveries per game across 13 top-flight appearances.

These statistics suggest that the £40k-per-week talent could offer more than Gray at both ends of the pitch with his superb passing and his ability to win possession back for his side with tackles and interceptions more frequently.

His percentile rank among other full-backs in European competitions over the last 365 days:

Osayi-Samuel is also a versatile player who could be utilised further forward by Farke. Former QPR boss Mark Warburton claimed he has “sheer pace” that can terrify opposition defenders as a winger, which is a position the talented gem has played more than any other in his career.

The Nigerian gem produced eight goals and ten assists in 54 Championship starts across his two final seasons with QPR as a winger, which shows that the Leeds target can chip in with goal contributions on a semi-regular basis at that level.

Therefore, Farke could land a dream rival to Gray and more depth to his wide options by striking a deal to sign the Fenerbahce ac ahead of Wolves and Palace next month.