Archie Gray backed to emulate Gareth Bale & Luka Modric by using Tottenham as a stepping stone to Real Madrid with Leeds wonderkid closing in on north London switch

Gray has attracted interest from a host of Premier League clubs including Brentford, Chelsea and Tottenham after impressing for Leeds. The teenager had a medical with the Bees but is now leaning towards a move to Spurs, as reported by The Athletic. Tottenham have tried to sign Gray previously and are now favourites to win the race for his signature.

A move to Spurs would offer Gray the chance to showcase his talent in the Premier League with Ange Postecoglou's side. However, former Tottenham star Chris Waddle believes it could also prove to be the springboard for a future move to Real Madrid too, following in the footsteps of club legends Bale and Modric.

He told Genting Casino: "I’ve seen enough of Archie Gray to say that he is a very good player. He’s a versatile player that can perform in a number of roles: midfield, full-back. That tells you two things about him: his manager trusts him to perform in numerous roles and he has the intelligence to do it. That’s rare for a player of eighteen-years-old. He was ever-present in that Leeds United team last season, so again, that’s a good sign. His best role is in central midfield, and I think that's where he prefers to play.

“He's an ideal Tottenham project. Tottenham have a history of buying young players and giving them an opportunity.  We’ve seen Tottenham make some very canny moves in the transfer market over the years with younger players. They can obviously see the potential that’s there, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Gray followed the likes of Gareth Bale and Luka Modric by joining Real Madrid for a massive fee if he lives up to his potential. Tottenham can obviously see his potential. He was probably the pick of The Championship players in terms of his age and ability. I think he could easily step up to the level of the Premier League.

 “Whether he gets straight into the Tottenham team is a different question. I’m sure they will have a precise development plan for him which could see him join another Premier League club on loan. He'd be a good signing for Tottenham Hotspur because he's only going to get better.”

Gray made 97 tackles in the Championship last season for Leeds, more than any other player aged 21 and under in the league.

Tottenham will now hope to finalise a deal for Gray with Leeds. The Championship club have already rejected a bid of £40 million ($50m) from Brentford, meaning Tottenham may have to dig deep to secure the youngster's signature.