Leeds United have experienced significant changes to their squad recently, with homegrown star and fan favorite Archie Gray all but departing for Tottenham Hotspur after just one season of professional football at Elland Road. The £40 million deal also includes ex-Leeds loanee Joe Rodon. GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed that Leeds are interested in acquiring another Tottenham player, with Oliver Skipp on their shortlist.
Skipp, a Tottenham academy graduate, has started to feature more regularly in North London since joining as an eight-year-old. However, with other high-profile players ahead of him in the pecking order, the midfielder has had to wait his turn for starts. Leeds might take a chance on him, as he is eager for first-team football despite being in the Championship.
Over the past two seasons, Skipp has been a semi-regular player for Tottenham, making 44 Premier League appearances out of a possible 76. As a rotation option, he fits well with the club, but it remains to be seen if his playing time will increase.
Earlier this week, Skipp was linked with a move to Leeds as part of the swap deal for Gray. However, GIVEMESPORT revealed that Tottenham might block the move to meet the Premier League’s homegrown quota, making the transfer unlikely.
GIVEMESPORT sources have disclosed that Leeds are still interested in Skipp following the deal that saw Gray and Rodon swap clubs. Tottenham, however, are reluctant to let Skipp go, valuing him as a crucial backup option. He can rotate with players like Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma, and Pape Matar Sarr, and as a homegrown player, he adds valuable depth to the squad.
With European competitions requiring four players in each team to come from the club’s academy, Tottenham has few realistic first-team options apart from Skipp, making him vital. At the start of the summer, Tottenham listed Rodon, Djed Spence, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and Giovani Lo Celso as players they were willing to let go, but Skipp was not included for these reasons.
Skipp, meanwhile, is not keen on dropping down to the Championship at this stage of his career. At 23, he has already had a successful loan spell in the Championship with Norwich City under Daniel Farke, which explains Leeds’ interest in him. However, a move to the Championship may not align with Skipp’s career goals.
Despite this, sources suggest there could still be a possibility for the move due to Skipp’s relationship with Farke, whom he admires. If Leeds earn promotion under Farke and Skipp doesn’t see much game time this season, a transfer could materialize.
Skipp is an excellent player in a possession-based midfield and would be a strong replacement for the departed Gray. Having already won the Championship under Farke with Norwich, Skipp would seamlessly fit into his plans at Leeds. Alongside other possession-heavy players like Glen Kamara and Ethan Ampadu, Skipp could help Leeds cruise to promotion.
