Leeds United currently have one of the youngest squads across the whole of the Championship.
Of the players used so far this season, only last night’s opponents Sunderland have a younger average age, with Leeds’ currently sitting at 24.1, according to transfermarkt.
Leeds will be hoping they can make use of this talented young squad in the Premier League but do now face a real fight on their hands to ensure they secure promotion.
As is always the risk with a young squad, Leeds have really been feeling the pressure of the race for the top two in recent weeks, picking up just five points from their last four matches.
Should Leeds fail to win promotion, there is no doubt clubs from the Premier League and across Europe will begin circling like vultures. Remaining in the Championship would mean they have to make player sales.
Summerville and Gray now both valued higher than Liverpool’s Quansah
The basis of Leeds’ promotion push this season has been formed on a number of U23s players starring in key roles.
Georginio Rutter has been the creator in chief with 15 assists this season, while Ethan Ampadu has been a rock both in midfield and the back, while also wearing the captain’s armband.
Willy Gnonto is also one of Leeds’ brightest young talents, but it is arguably Crysencio Summerville and Archie Gray who have won the most headlines this season.
Summerville has 17 goals and eight assists in the Championship and is up for the division’s POTS, while Gray has been incredible in his breakthrough campaign. He’s been nominated for the league’s YPOTS.
And now according to the latest CIES Football Observatory Post, both Summerville and Gray are valued in excess of £28 million. The former is just higher at £32.5m.
Despite the fact they are both playing in the Championship, their valuations are actually more than a number of youngsters at top level clubs, including Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah and Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez.
Those two have been regulars at their respective sides this season and so that shows just how good Summerville and Gray have been for Leeds.
Leeds need promotion to keep hold of Summerville and Gray
As mentioned, if Leeds fail to get promoted, they would simply have to sell some of their key players, as parachute payments in the second season after relegation are reduced.
Summerville and Gray are arguably Leeds’ most prized assets and already have a number of big clubs circling ahead of the summer.
Gray is attracting interest from the likes of Borussia Dortmund, and having only just signed a contract Leeds could demand a decent fee.
Summerville, meanwhile, has a lot of top level Premier League interest and with £20 million having been rejected last summer, it would be interesting to see what sort of fee Leeds want this time around.