Tottenham Hotspur rising star Archie Gray has been recognised for his incredible debut season at the club. He won the Men’s Young Player of the Year award at the London Football Awards on Thursday night at Wembley Stadium.
The 18-year-old has been a revelation since joining Spurs from Leeds United in a £40 million deal last summer. He has made an immediate impact under manager Ange Postecoglou.
Gray has been a mainstay in the Spurs line-up, featuring in 33 of their 42 matches across all competitions, with 25 starts to his name.
Despite being a midfielder, he has stepped into an unfamiliar centre-back role amid a Tottenham defensive injury crisis.
The Spurs starlet edged out tough competition to claim the award, beating Arsenal duo Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, Watford starlet Rocco Vata, and Crystal Palace attacker Romaine Esse.
His performances have drawn widespread praise, not least from his manager, who has been effusive in his admiration. “I just think he is a fantastic player,” Postecoglou said (via the Tottenham website). “I am so pleased he is at this football club. He just wants to learn. No task is too much for him.
“His calmness and maturity are beyond his years. He has set a high benchmark already, and there are not many 18-year-olds who could step into the Premier League, play out of position, and handle it the way he has. Just brilliant.”
Gray follows in the footsteps of former Spurs stars Harry Kane and Dele Alli, who won this same accolade in 2015, 2016, and 2017.
For all the plaudits, Tottenham fans will be eager to see Gray strutting his stuff in his natural position in the engine room. He is a versatile player but plays best through the middle.
Gray and Lucas Bergvall are the future of Spurs. Fans want to see the pair running things for the club through the middle rather than the clunky Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr. Hopefully, he gets his chance in midfield soon.