Why Archie Gray is now primed for early Tottenham captaincy audition vs Auckland
Archie Gray could very well be a Tottenham Hotspur captain in the making.
At 20 years old, there is still plenty for the midfielder to learn in the game of football, and his leadership qualities will only continue to improve.
At Tottenham Hotspur News, we have covered comments from Harry Redknapp tipping Gray for eventual captaincy.
As pre-season continues to roll on for the Lilywhites, the young Englishman could be handed an early chance to audition for that role.
Roberto De Zerbi will be hoping to utilise the trip to New Zealand and Australia as effectively as possible.
And with the Premier League season just a month away, that effectiveness looks to hand Gray a promoted role.
How Roberto De Zerbi's plan hints at Archie Gray captaincy
Making the trip from England to New Zealand and Australia is quite the distance and that looks to be having an effect on De Zerbi's decisions.
The Italian has brought a 35-man squad away on the trip, handing him plenty of options to choose from.
Ahead of the friendly against Auckland in the early hours of Sunday morning, Football London have noted that many of the senior players were not involved in intense training.
This is a tactic used to negate the long travel distance and prevent injuries heading into the season.
But a group of two younger sides were involved in a training match, with the report sharing that the team in orange bibs have a "decent chance" of being the starting XI.
It was a very young line-up, with 27-year-old Brandon Austin being the most senior inclusion.
However, Gray was also involved in the mix and with him having more games at the senior level for Tottenham than any of the others mentioned, that may see him chosen as captain on the day.
The numbers that prove Gray is a captain in waiting
Gray has experience with the armband, as he has done so at England youth level over the years.
He skippered both the Under-16s and Under-17s.
But in terms of on-pitch qualities, he leads by example through his work ethic.
According to Sofascore, out of Tottenham's more regular midfield players last season, only Lucas Bergvall (11.7km) covered more distance per 90 than Gray (11.2km).
Additionally, while he may not have played as much as he would have hoped last season, the campaign before highlighted maturity beyond his years.
Gray started 50 per cent of the available Premier League games in 2024-2025, and his 89 per cent pass accuracy was indicative of a player who was confident and composed.
He may not be ready to be a fully-fledged captain for the Lilywhites, but in a pre-season friendly against Auckland, it is the perfect time for an audition.