Despite being the top scorers in the Championship last season, Leeds United put a real focus on strengthening their attack. The Whites found the back of the net 95 times in 2024/25, far more than any other side, but still brought three new forwards to the club over the summer.
They only paid for one of those attackers, with the versatile Noah Okafor joining from Serie A giants AC Milan for £18m. One of their free signings was former Manchester City academy player Lukas Nmecha, who moved to Elland Road from Wolfsburg. Both Okafor and Nmecha have already scored this season.
The same can be said for their other attacking addition this summer, Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Calvert-Lewin’s start to life at Leeds
The signing of former Everton star Calvert-Lewin was certainly a huge coup for the Whites. He will bring Premier League experience to a team that need to cement themselves as a Premier League side.
Already, the former Toffees number nine has found the back of the net.
He’s played four times across all competitions for the club, and scored in their 3-1 triumph over Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend to get off the mark.
Yet, his start to life in Yorkshire has not been as simple as that for Leeds’ new number nine. His debut against Sheffield Wednesday, which saw the Whites crash out of the Carabao Cup, was disappointing. Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Lee Sobot described it as a “debut to forget” for the England striker.
His stats from the 2025/26 Premier League season so far also leave a bit to be desired. In 178 minutes so far, Calvert-Lewin has had four shots, with three of those on target, and missed one big chance.
Whilst he is only a short way into his Leeds career, the former Everton star will be hoping his goal against Wolves can be a catalyst for his form to improve. If not, they may have an academy star waiting in the wings to steal his number nine shirt.
Leeds’ potential future number nine
The Whites’ most exciting academy star in recent seasons is surely Archie Gray. The 19-year-old played 52 games for his boyhood club before moving to Tottenham Hotspur last summer, where he became a Europa League champion.
Well, the midfielder might have some competition when it comes to the best talents at Leeds. His younger brother, Harry Gray, is also on the club’s books and is another highly talented prospect to come out of his family.
Unlike his brother, 16-year-old Gray is a centre-forward and has shone for the club’s academy, leading the line at both under-18 and under-21 level.
He’s also made his first-team debut, with his sole appearance coming last season off the bench against Stoke City in the Championship.
This season, the youngster has been on fire already. Representing Leeds in the Premier League 2, he’s found the back of the net four times in just three games.
He’s also chipped in with two assists, one in the league and the other in the EFL Trophy. Gray even bagged a hat-trick against National League side Scunthorpe United.
Indeed, his record across both the Premier League 2 and the Under-18s Premier League shows the killer instinct Gray has in front of goal. In both divisions combined, he’s scored 15 goals in 21 games.
|
Gray – Leeds youth record |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat |
U18s PL |
PL2 |
|
Games |
11 |
10 |
|
Minutes |
819 |
758 |
|
Goals |
8 |
7 |
|
Assists |
0 |
1 |
|
Stats from Transfermarkt |
||
If Gray continues on his trajectory, it is easy to see how he can snatch the number nine shirt from Calvert-Lewin at some stage. He’s already played for his boyhood club, and if he can carry that academy form into first-team football, he could be a deadly centre-forward at the top level.
With his older brother Archie now plying his trade down in North London, there is certainly an argument to be made that the striker is Leeds’ most exciting talent.
