Archie Gray had to show maturity beyond his years at Tottenham last season.
The 19-year-old got his first taste of Premier League football last term, having joined the Lilywhites from Leeds United in the summer.
Gray received plenty of praise for the way he adapted in his debut Spurs campaign, as he was forced to play in countless different positions as a result of the injuries sustained across the rest of the squad.
The England U21 international will know that he didn’t have his finest year individually, but he has rightly been commended for the selfless role that he took up within the team.
Gray reacts as Spurs confirm Oliver Boast deal
Tottenham have been working hard to strengthen their academy ranks this summer, and they recently signed a former teammate of Gray in Max McFadden.
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Leeds has proven to be a fruitful place for Spurs’ scouts to explore in recent years, with Gray himself having come through at the West Yorkshire outfit.
The North Londoners have now swooped to take a young player from the Whites once again, with Oliver Boast having recently joined Spurs for a fee thought to be in the region of £1million.
The 16-year-old forward posted a message on his Instagram account (22 July) after his move to Tottenham was confirmed.
Boast wrote: “Delighted to sign COYS,” and Gray responded by commenting and saying: “Welcome mate congrats.”
Gray could be set for a big season at Spurs this year
Gray could be in line for a breakthrough season this time around, as Spurs transition into the Thomas Frank era.
The Danish boss showed during his time at Brentford that he isn’t afraid of handing opportunities to young players, and that could see the former Leeds man take on an even more important role within the side.
He is predominantly a right-back or centre midfielder by trade, but last season’s injury crisis was so extensive that he often found himself playing at centre half, which exposed his youthful nature to some extent.
This time around, with Frank keen to overhaul the options within the squad, Spurs should be better placed to play Gray in his preferred positions a lot more often.
The youngster is tipped to have a huge future ahead of him, and this could be the year when he properly announces himself in the Premier League.