Leeds Live

Manor Solomon says Leeds United's promotion to the Premier League is exactly why he came to the club, to be able to celebrate that achievement. The Tottenham Hotspur man is on loan for the season and admits he took a risk coming to the Championship, but feels it has more than been justified now.

Solomon could well find himself back in the Premier League next season with Leeds, with talk of the Whites striking a potential deal with Spurs to keep hold of the popular winger. Tottenham appear ready to let the player depart, but much will depend on the terms of any deal.

For now, Solomon is celebrating the achievement of promotion and has made it clear how proud he is to have played his part in what has been a record-breaking season with a 94-point haul already in the bag.

“This is why I came. I'm so happy to see everyone celebrating," Solomon told LUTV. "We have worked so hard all season. We just want to celebrate.

"I was taking a risk but as you can see it paid off. I'm really proud to have played for Leeds. This season has been a rollercoaster, so so exciting. I'm so happy right now I can't find the words. We will sum it up at the end of the season.

"We had some ups and downs but we didn't stop for a minute, kept pushing all the time. I've enjoyed it so much, every single minute with these fans and players. We deserve it.”

Leeds United have learnt Manor Solomon's stance on completing a permanent transfer from Tottenham Hotspur this summer, following his season-long loan at Elland Road.

The 25-year-old joined Leeds last summer and has since scored eight goals and provided 10 assists in 37 appearances across all competitions. In their most recent Championship outing against Preston North End, he scored and assisted in a 2-1 victory that keeps them top of the table on goal difference, with four games remaining.

Leeds Live reported earlier this week that the club are yet to make a decision on whether to make Solomon's move permanent, but as things stand, he is set to return to his parent club at the end of the season. It has been suggested a deal will depend on which league Daniel Farke's side are playing in next season.

Now, a fresh report from football.london has revealed the player would be open to joining Leeds on a permanent basis if they were to be promoted into the Premier League. The article reveals that the Israel international has enjoyed his time in West Yorkshire so far.

However, it notes that Spurs are expecting further interest from other Premier League clubs when the transfer window reopens. Clubs from abroad could also enter the race, which would leave Solomon with a major decision to make about his future.

While there is plenty of competition for places in the Tottenham squad, the article emphasises that the uncertainty surrounding Ange Postecoglou's long-term future at the London club could also complicate matters. If a new manager were to take over in the summer, he may wish to make his own assessment of Solomon before sanctioning a permanent move away.

Earlier in the season, Solomon expressed how settled he feels at Leeds in an interview with The Athletic, saying: “I love it here. I love the fans. I love the club. I love the players, the manager.

"Especially now, I’m really enjoying it and I love living here. Of course, it’s different to London, less things to do and we have less friends here. All the Israelis, they live in London, but we found our place here."

Rio Ferdinand says he feels empathy for former Leeds United star Archie Gray given the instructions he has been ordered to carry out at Tottenham Hotspur.

The 19-year-old secured a £30m switch to Spurs from Elland Road last summer and has been a regular for Ange Postecoglou, playing 38 games including 21 Premier League outings. Gray is a midfielder by trade yet has only played there three times this term.

Most of his appearances have come at centre-back amid Tottenham’s defensive crisis, a position he had never played during his senior career prior to this season. In total, he has played 19 games there so far.

Gray has also featured at right-back for seven matches, though this is hardly unfamiliar to him having been used to the role 30 times by Daniel Farke last campaign. But under the German, he also managed to play 19 matches in a variety of midfield positions too.

That has not been the case for Gray - who has also played five games at left-back - at Spurs. Former Leeds defender Rio Ferdinand has revealed he has spoken to Gray about his usage under Postecoglou and backs him to turn the experience into something positive long term.

“I feel sorry for him. He’s a young kid playing out of position, unfortunately for him,” Ferdinand told his YouTube channel. “But I’ve said to him – this could be one of the most-valuable times of your career.

“Getting minutes early, in a different position, seeing things from a different picture, could really enhance him in the future.”

In his 31 games as a defender this season, Gray has helped Tottenham keep nine clean sheets. He is yet to score or assist for his new club.

The teenager, who started at right-back for England Under-21s in a 4-2 friendly win over Portugal on Monday evening, was seen back at Elland Road supporting Leeds amid February's comeback win over Sunderland.

Manor Solomon has been one of Leeds United’s shining lights this season. The Tottenham Hotspur winger has settled in so well that some fans wish to see him signed permanently.

Of course, that will depend on United gaining promotion and the finance that brings. Furthermore, there are three parties involved here.

Daniel Farke made this point last month and said decisions on loan players would not be made until it is clear which division Leeds will be playing in next year. Leeds Live understands that club chiefs have still yet to make a transfer pursuit decision for Solomon for this reason.

Solomon - who has seven goals and eight assists in 33 games for United - has underlined how he has been “very happy” at Elland Road, though such comments do not always indicate a player's long term desire.

The Israeli missed almost the entirety of last season due to a knee meniscus injury but has managed to find his rhythm again in Yorkshire. Many will argue that a permanent move to Leeds would be tempting for Solomon as a result.

We asked Lee Wilmot, Head of Football at football.london, a few questions on Solomon’s future and what Tottenham’s current stance might be given the context of Spurs' and Ange Postecoglou’s struggling season.

Hi Lee, from Tottenham’s point of view, what is the main goal of Solomon’s loan spell?

Solomon's career at Spurs did not really get off the ground due to the injury he picked up last season. And because of that and new signings, he fell down the pecking order somewhat.

Although given the injuries Spurs have suffered this season, Postecoglou might have liked to have had him around. The loan spell was designed to get him game time after the injury to return ready and refreshed next season.

What is your general prediction for Solomon this summer - will Spurs want to keep him or do Leeds potentially stand a good chance of buying him if promoted?

With Brennan Johnson, Son Heung-min, Wilson Odobert, Dejan Kulusevski and now Mathys Tel ahead of him, it does make you wonder what the future holds for Solomon at Tottenham. I would not be surprised to see him up for sale in the summer and Leeds could be a perfect move for him given this season and their expected return to the Premier League.

Would Solomon currently get into the current Spurs team or, at least, general set-up?

He has a number of players in his position, although none have really covered themselves in a lot of glory this year, Kulusevski apart. Odobert is showing signs of quality after coming back from injury now and Son's numbers do suggest he's had a good season, so probably not.

If Postecoglou ends up getting sacked, do you think that would risk Solomon’s future at Spurs, and thus make it more likely he could leave permanently? And vice versa - if he stays, is Solomon more likely to stay?

Solomon was a Postecoglou signing. The Australian took a vested interest in all Spurs' transfer business when he arrived so he was clearly seen as someone who could play in his system.

If he were to be sacked, you'd think Solomon would get a chance to prove himself under a new boss, but whether he has the quality to compete, we haven't seen enough to make a judgement yet.

Former Leeds United man Archie Gray has seen his transfer value increase after completing a summer move to Tottenham Hotspur.

The now 19-year-old was a standout player for the Whites last season as they just missed out on a return to the Premier League.

He played a total of 52 times in all competitions as Leeds finished in third place and made it to the play-off final, losing out to Southampton.

His performances meant that a sale in the summer of 2024 seemed inevitable. He completed a move to Tottenham Hotspur for a deal in the region of £40 million.

The teenager initially struggled for regular game time at Spurs in the first part of the current season, mainly being used as a late substitute off the bench or being an unused sub. That has, however, changed since he broke into the line-up back in December.

Gray has made a total of 38 appearances in all competitions for Tottenham so far this season. His versatility has been crucial in covering for injuries, playing at centre-back, left-back, right back and defensive midfield.

His value has now been reflected in transfermarkt’s latest assessment of player worths. Just before his move from Leeds to Tottenham in May 2024, Gray was valued by the website at €18 million (£15.1m).

Since his switch to the Premier League, his value has rose to €25 million (£21m) in October 2024, despite his lack of regular starts, with the value remaining the same in December 2024.

However, the latest update has seen his value increase again to €35 million (£29.4m). It means that it has risen by a total of £14.3 million since his exit from Elland Road.

While his value continues to rise, it has still not reached the £40m that Leeds got for him, although there is scope for it to reach that figure and beyond over the next few months or years.

Speaking last month, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou was full of praise for Gray for the way he’s adapted to different roles. "It goes under the radar but the job Archie Gray’s doing is ridiculous," he said.

He added: "I just think he’s a fantastic player. I’m so pleased he’s at this football club. He’s a fantastic kid as well. He just wants to learn, no task is too much for him, he tackles everything with a real kind of calmness, that belies his years.

"He wants to learn, he wants to get better. We are just very, very fortunate to have him at our football club. Whatever position he ends up playing, he’s going to be outstanding.

"He has that attitude of wanting to improve, wanting to get better. "He’s already set a high benchmark.

"There aren’t many 18-year-olds who you could throw into the Premier League, play out of position in such an important area of the park, and handle it the way he has. Just brilliant."

When it comes to making a move from Leeds United to Tottenham Hotpsur as a teenage star tipped for the top, Aaron Lennon knows all about the pressure and expectation that Archie Gray is feeling. Lennon tread the path first, leaving his hometown club behind for the glitz and glamour of the Premier League, when making a £1m move to Spurs in 2005 to aid Leeds' financial struggles after dropping out the top division.

Lennon would go on to star for Spurs and England in a brilliant career, which is the hope for Gray, who last summer switched Elland Road for north London in a £40m deal. It' a deal that many at Spurs think could prove to be a bargain in years to come, such is the hope for Gray.

Lennon has watched Gray's development at Leeds closely, but even he says he has been surprised by how good the teenager has been this season for Ange Postecoglou's side.

"Obviously I know Archie quite well from his Leeds days. I'd watched him a lot. I knew how good he was. It's even shocked me how good he's been this season again and what he's gone on to. He's taken it to another level, and especially in the positions he's had to play," Lennon told Football.London.

Lennon worked as an academy coach with Leeds' under-18s last season and the Elland Road club was awash with excitement about the potential of Gray, who was with the first team and impressing as many people off the pitch as he did on it.

"When I went back to Leeds in the back end of the last season, he was just with the first team, but around the place he was always a great lad. The staff who had had him before spoke so highly of him just as an individual," Lennon said. "They were just like 'Aaron, trust me, you won't meet a better lad', that he was an unbelievable pro but just such a nice kid, and he strikes me as that.

"I watched him play a lot at full-back for Leeds, but I've also watched him a lot playing in the middle of the park. I think his best position is still in the middle. When he played against Chelsea for Leeds he was honestly unbelievable.

"So for me, he's still going to be a central midfielder, and I'm actually gutted for him that he's not managed to get more minutes there because I do think he could have a big influence on this team playing in the centre of the park. Obviously with the injury problems, he's had to fill in in various roles, which he's done unbelievably well at.

"I think his time will come. I think if you ask him, he'll say where he wants to play, he'll tell you in the middle of the park, and once the injured players come back and it might be next season now, who knows, but I think it will be amazing to see Archie get in the centre of the pitch."

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly been linked with Leeds United defender Pascal Struijk as Ange Postecoglou's injuries woes continue in north London.

The Dutch centre-back has been one of the standout performers in the Championship this season. With five goals to his name, as well as being a major part in Leeds maintaining the second most clean sheets in the division, Struijk is a hot commodity at Elland Road and beyond.

This is exactly the reason why Premier League side Tottenham are said to be linked with a move for the 25-year-old. The north London club has struggled with an injury crisis all season, and currently have four defenders out of action, with plans in place for this summer.

Not only would Struijk be a strong reinforcement defensively, but he would also support Tottenham with regards to their set-pieces. Corners and free-kicks have become a key part of a team's tactics, more than they ever have in the past, or at least in terms of the publicity such moments create.

The majority of the Dutchman's goals have come from set-pieces. His six-foot-three stature makes him a dominant figure in the box. Spurs have the most corners in the Premier League to date this season, but also haven't been able to make the most of them.

If Tottenham are to make a swoop for Struijk, they will have competition. Football Transfers have reported that Dutch side Feyenoord have 'initiated contact' with the defender as they are looking for a replacement for David Hancko who could be on his way out for a hefty price tag this summer.

It's a familiar situation for the Elland Road faithful as Spurs were the side who swooped Leeds academy product Archie Gray last season for around £34.5m. The Whites support won't want to see another star player leave again.

Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur have both benefitted from the recent business they have done together during recent transfer windows.

Archie Gray swapped Elland Road for Spurs last summer and is already an established Premier League player. Manor Solomon moved in the opposite direction and almost instantly became one of the best wingers in the Championship.

After making a loan move become permanent - which Leeds could repeat with Soloman this summer, Joe Rodon has again been a mainstay at the heart of the Whites defence. Equally, Djed Spence spent time in West Yorkshire playing alongside Gray last year, and both are now doing so again in a Tottenham shirt. Here are four other Spurs players who could join Leeds next season...

Antonin Kinsky

One that would depend on Premier League promotion if there is even remotely a chance of happening, but Antonin Kinsky could do with playing in the Premier League rather than sitting on the Spurs bench. The goalkeeper made eight appearances before Guglielmo Vicario returned from injury and will now have to settle for playing in the Europa League for the coming months.

But if they do not qualify for European competition next season, which with Tottenham in 12th is hardly inconceivable, then a loan could appeal. Leeds need a new goalkeeper next season, meaning a move may suit both clubs.

Ben Davies

It would not be a loan, with Ben Davies in the final few months of his Tottenham Hotspur contract, but the Wales international is still a Spurs player for now. The last central defender Leeds signed from north London is fairing well, and Davies often partners Joe Rodon for their country, notably keeping a clean sheet away in Turkey during the November break.

There were links during this January and the last winter window, too. Davies turns 32 in late April and can also play as a left-back, meaning they could provide experience and versatility, albeit with a questionable injury record.

Yang Min-hyeok

Leeds may not necessarily need a winger, such is their depth out wide, if Soloman stays, but Yang has impressed this month since joining Queens Park Rangers on loan. Should the form he showed in his only start to date against Derby County, assisting a goal and providing a threat throughout, the natural next step would be a Premier League loan.

Yang will still be a teenager for much of next season and already has undoubted ability. He proved too good for the K-League, scoring 12 goals and assisting another six, and could well have outgrown the second tier by May.

Former Leeds United star Archie Gray has been handed another disappointment with Tottenham as they suffered defeat to strugglers Leicester City.

The Foxes ended a run of nine games without a win under Ruud van Nistelrooy after coming from behind to win 2-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday. Gray featured at right-back and has proved his importance to Ange Postecoglou, who is under increasing pressure, after featuring prominently during an injury crisis in North London.

Gray progressed through the Leeds academy before becoming a first-team regular under Daniel Farke and established himself as a fan favourite which saw his departure in the summer disappoint supporters.

Jamie Vardy cancelled out Richarlison's opener as the 38-year-old ghosted between Ben Davies and Gray to bundle the ball over the line. Minutes later, the strugglers completed the turnaround when Bobby Reid teed up Bilal El Khannous.

For the versatility and reliability of the 18-year-old, Spurs continue to struggle with Sunday's defeat a fourth straight in the Premier League.

After enduring a difficult start to his career with Postecoglou's side, there was speculation over a possible return. However, the Leeds boss shut down the mumurs.

"I don’t speak about other players who are under contract at other clubs," Farke said. "I’m a bit reluctant to do any comments who are not under contract anymore.

"Our fingers are crossed for Archie and his whole career. If you want some recommendation, he already has my telephone number but I keep it pretty private what I recommend."

As for Postecoglou, the Spurs boss still believes in his players and praised them for their commitment despite a poor run of results. Yeah, it hurts," he said. "It hurts a lot. The players gave everything again.

"We are going to look at a lot of things, but in terms of effort I can't ask anymore of this group, things just didn't go our way today. "We created some good opportunities and unfortunately things just didn't drop for us because not because the players weren't trying and that's the main thing.

"The players are giving everything they can. That is all we can ask for as a football club and me as a manager. They are trying their hardest and that is all anyone can ask for.

"You can analyse the goals, they were disappointing goals for us to concede, but I thought we had enough chances in the game to come out on top.

Former Leeds United ace Archie Gray has hit his lowest point with Tottenham during their 3-2 loss to Everton.

The teenage sensation had risen through Leeds' academy before becoming a consistent starter under Daniel Farke. The Durham-born defender had become a favourite amongst Leeds fans - with many left disappointed when Gray left for Tottenham last summer.

Although Leeds were to earn a good chunk of money for an academy product, the Elland Road faithful knew they were letting go of a player who had great potential. The youngster has played every minute since December 12 for Tottenham after proving himself as a deserved starter under Ange Postecoglou. However, a blunder against Everton looks to be his first big slip-up.

It was a case of Gray being in the wrong place at the wrong time. When defending a cross, the 18-year-old stuck out his leg at the worst time and accidentally hit the ball into his own goal. It only added further pain onto the travelling Spurs fans as it put the scoreline at 3-0 before halftime.

Fortunately for Gray, his own-goal was not the talking point from the match. A further defeat under Postecoglou has the Australian on thin ice. His philosophy of football, which he swears by and won't change, is not working like he planned it out to.

When Gray was struggling for game time early into his tenure in North London, there was speculation that Leeds boss Farke could bring him back. But this was quickly shut down by the German.

He said: "I don’t speak about other players who are under contract at other clubs. I’m a bit reluctant to do any comments who are not under contract anymore.

"Our fingers are crossed for Archie and his whole career. If you want some recommendation, he already has my telephone number but I keep it pretty private what I recommend."