Tottenham are poised to pay heavy English tax on Archie Gray

Tottenham are always on the lookout for transfer bargains with chairman Daniel Levy at the helm. Unfortunately for Spurs, their latest foray into the market won't be a bargain for all. If the club are successful in prying Archie Gray away from Leeds United they'll pay a significant premium due to his English heritage.

Sources at The Athletic are reporting that Tottenham are in pole position to hijack Brentford's potential deal for the versatile 18-year-old. The Bees thought they had a deal completed earlier this week but Gray's reportedly had a change of heart which will lead him to ink with Spurs in the coming hours.

Leeds turned back an offer from Brentford worth somewhere in the region of 35 million pounds. It's safe to assume Tottenham will need to make an offer north of that to secure the deal. That's a lot of money for a player who hasn't played a Premier League match.

It's obvious that Spurs want to sign a young, homegrown player to help alleviate their roster construction issues ahead of this year's Europa League competition. Gray fits the bill. He would immediately give manager Ange Postecoglou the full compliment of players to compete for Tottenham's first trophy in years.

There's a downside to Tottenham adding Archie Gray

On the other hand, it's apparent that Tottenham could spend the same figure on a foreign player with a much more accomplished playing career. Someone like Vanderson from Monaco could be secured for a similar fee and he's already established himself with the Brazilian National Team.

The idea of paying a premium for homegrown talent in the Premier League is nothing new. That's why Spurs are so comfortable with the idea of splashing additional cash on Gray. The secret to this transfer might lie in the starlet's ability to play multiple positions in Postecoglou's system.

Gray is naturally a mobile midfielder but his ability to take the ball on the turn has allowed him to play effectively as an inverted right back at Leeds. Tottenham know they need cover for Pedro Porro next season if they want to be competitive on multiple fronts. At the very least, Gray should be able to play the right back role in Spurs when they are taxed by Europa League travel.

In the end, Gray is a worthwhile gamble for Spurs given their desperate need for another homegrown player. His transfer could well be the tax Tottenham pays for ignoring the issue for several previous transfer windows.