Boyhood Leeds United hero surpasses £25m England man's Championship tally in latest Elland Road display

Friday evening's victory over Leicester City saw Gray leapfrog Bellingham into second place behind Tottenham Hotspur's Ryan Sessegnon for the number of league minutes by a player aged 17-and-under during a single Championship campaign over the last ten years.

Gray has now played 2,707 league minutes for Daniel Farke's promotion-chasing Whites, surpassing Bellingham who amassed 2,694 in 2019/20 during his breakthrough at Birmingham City. The Leeds teen still trails Sessegnon and will not have the opportunity to beat the ex-Fulham youngster's 4,036-minute record before turning 18 next month, but his latest achievement is a further reflection of the trust placed in his young hands by teammates and Farke alike.

While his go-ahead goal in the 3-1 win over Leicester was cruelly - but correctly - snatched from him and awarded as a Wout Faes own goal instead, Gray's contribution to Leeds' promotion push has been tangible. At such a young age, the 17-year-old has displayed poise and control at right-back and in central midfield, drawing praise from supporters, Farke and his more senior peers at first-team level.

Eclipsing Bellingham's tally of minutes, whilst representing a team which could yet clinch promotion automatically, is nothing short of remarkable given Gray's professional debut only came at the beginning of the 2023/24 season. He has remained in the starting line-up since, beating off competition for places from established trio Luke Ayling, Djed Spence and Connor Roberts - two of whom have left the club.

England international Bellingham left St. Andrew's Stadium in the summer of 2020 shortly after turning 17, joining Borussia Dortmund in a reported £25 million transfer. He made 44 appearances during his breakout campaign, 41 of which were in the Championship, accruing 32 starts in the competition.

Gray has managed 36 appearances in all competitions this term, starting 30 of his 32 Championship outings. With 12 league games remaining, as well as a potential extension to Leeds' FA Cup run or participation in the play-offs, it is feasible Gray could make 50 appearances in his debut season at Elland Road.

Unlike Bellingham, though, whose future appeared a foregone conclusion before his record-breaking departure for the Bundesliga, Gray signed an extension to his Leeds contract earlier this year, putting pen to paper on a new deal running until 2028. The England youth international's association with his boyhood club shows no sign of expiry any time soon, much to the delight of United supporters who sung the youngster's name in unison last Friday evening.

Gray is expected to continue at right-back in Farke's strongest line-up, but may yet appear in central midfield or left-back between now and the end of the season as Leeds hunt down league leaders Leicester, whom they trail by six points.