Widely-renowned simulation game Football Manager have announced that the most-popular player among their users outside of the Premier League is a Leeds United star.
Daniel Farke‘s side have sparkled this season despite the majority of his squad being younger than 25. Key players like Ethan Ampadu, Illan Meslier and Pascal Struijk playing way beyond their years at Elland Road.
Archie Gray has only just turned 18, but already he’s played the best part of 50 matches in league and cup for the Yorkshire side this season. Jermaine Beckford described him as “phenomenal” earlier this season.
Whether he has been playing on the right of the defence or in the middle of the park more recently, Gray has excelled for Leeds. Football Manager allows gamers to buy players as a manager of another team.
On the game’s official Twitter account they announced that outside of thePremier League, Leeds teen and Egland U21 star Gray is the “most-popular” player among users and used in 5.4million matches.
They also that Gray has scored almost three quarters of a million goals for users on the latest edition of the game, and 7597 hat-tricks. Clearly Gray is a star in the making, even in the simulation world.
Football Manager name Leeds star Archie Gray as most-popular
Like in real life football, those of a young age on Football Manager are the most-sought after players for gamers and he certainly falls into that category. He offers versatility too given he can play most positions.
Whether that be as a more-advanced midfielder as he was at Middlesbrough, slightly more defensive as he has been in the past or playing as a right-back or on the right of a five-man defence for England.
Football Manager’s Tweet included the caption: “The most popular EFL player in FM24. Hands up if you’re an Archie Gray fan.
It’s not just gamers trying to sign Leeds talent Gray
Unsurprisingly, big clubs from around Europe are also keeping tabs on the real-life Gray. Bayern Munich are said to have shown an interest in the Leeds talent, who has been rated at a whopping fee of £50m.
Manchester United and Liverpool are also keeping an eye on him, though the former simply have no chance of landing the Leeds academy product – given his allegiance to Leeds, and the rivalry with them.
But for now, it seems as if Gray will continue his family’s legacy at Elland Road by remaining a part of this Leeds side whether they get promoted, or stay put. A crucial game awaits Gray and Leeds against QPR.