Kai Morrall named in The Guardian’s Next Generation 2026
⭐️ Leeds United youngster Kai Morrall has been named in The Guardian’s ‘Next Generation 2026’, which highlights the 20 best young talents at Premier League clubs.
The 16-year-old becomes the latest Leeds academy player to feature in the prestigious annual selection, following Harry Gray, Archie Gray, Cian Coleman and Charlie Allen.
Morrall joined Leeds last December after spending eight years in Liverpool’s academy, where he was highly regarded and attracted interest from several Premier League clubs.
However, the Ireland youth international believes the move to Elland Road can provide him with a faster pathway towards first-team football.
Kai Morrall
Morrall is a versatile and technically gifted player whose strengths include his vision, balance, pace and creativity.
His preferred position is right wing, where his technical ability allows him to make the most of his attacking qualities, but he has already demonstrated an impressive adaptability.
Morrall has also excelled at full-back, on the left wing and as a No 10, giving Leeds plenty of options as he continues his development.
The teenager made his Leeds Under-18s debut in May and was subsequently named in Ireland’s Under-17 squad in September.
He is also eligible to represent Jamaica.
Morrall’s inclusion in The Guardian’s list provides another indication of the reputation he has built since arriving at Thorp Arch — and Leeds will hope he can follow a similar pathway to some of the academy prospects who have been recognised before him.
Previous Leeds players in The Guardian’s Next Generation
Harry Gray – 2025
Harry Gray was already something of an exception when he appeared in the 2025 selection.
A first-year scholar at the time, Gray had already made his Leeds first-team debut, coming on as a late substitute in the 6-0 Championship win over Stoke City at Elland Road in April 2025.
The latest member of the Gray footballing dynasty, he had also established himself as a regular goalscorer for the Under-21s and was an England Under-17 international.
Comfortable as either a No 9 or No 10, Gray trained regularly with Daniel Farke’s first team and travelled on their pre-season trips to Germany and Sweden.
October 2026 update: Gray has begun a season-long loan at League One Sheffield Wednesday as Leeds look to give the forward regular first-team football.
He also spent the second half of last season on loan at Rotherham United, scoring three goals in 20 appearances.
Archie Gray – 2022
Archie Gray’s rapid rise through the Leeds academy was remarkable.
The great nephew of club legend Eddie Gray, he was fast-tracked into the first-team environment by Marcelo Bielsa and became the youngest player on the Leeds bench when he was named among the substitutes for the match against Arsenal at just 15.
Gray went on to establish himself as a first-team regular and enjoyed a superb 2023-24 campaign, making 52 appearances for Leeds, primarily at right-back and in central midfield.
Tottenham subsequently signed him for around £30m after triggering his release clause in the summer of 2024.
October 2025 update: Gray made 28 Premier League appearances during his first season at Spurs and also helped the club win the Europa League, appearing as a substitute in the final.
October 2026 update: Gray has taken on even greater responsibility in north London. He captained Tottenham against Brentford in August, becoming the youngest player to wear the armband in the club’s history and breaking Steve Perryman’s 54-year-old record.
Roberto De Zerbi has named the versatile midfielder, full-back and centre-back as one of Tottenham’s five captains. Gray made 35 senior appearances last season and won three separate player-of-the-year awards voted for by Spurs supporters.
Cian Coleman – 2021
Coleman was regarded as one of Leeds’ most versatile young players when he featured in the 2021 selection.
A defensive midfielder who could also play at centre-back, he was compared with Kalvin Phillips and had already impressed enough to train with Marcelo Bielsa’s first team.
Born in Pudsey, Coleman chose to represent Ireland and progressed through their youth international ranks.
He signed his first professional contract with Leeds in February 2023 and subsequently became an important member of the Under-21 side.
October 2025 update: Leeds released Coleman in the spring, after which he joined sixth-tier Buxton following two loan spells with the club.
October 2026 update: Coleman moved to HKFC in the Hong Kong top flight in August and scored on his league debut in a 3-2 defeat to Southern District.
Charlie Allen – 2020
Allen was already a senior player before he arrived at Leeds.
The Northern Irishman became the youngest player to make his Linfield first-team debut, aged just 15 years and five months, and went on to make seven further senior appearances while still a schoolboy.
A two-footed and highly versatile midfielder and forward, Allen was capable of playing across the pitch and was also a Northern Ireland youth international.
He signed his first professional contract with Leeds in December 2021 and trained with Marcelo Bielsa’s first team on several occasions.
Allen later featured for Jesse Marsch’s side in pre-season and trained with Northern Ireland’s senior squad.
October 2024 update: Allen was released by Leeds and returned to boyhood club Linfield.
October 2026 update: Allen remains with Linfield, operating in midfield or attack, and continues to represent Northern Ireland at Under-21 level.
Another Leeds youngster to watch
Morrall is now the latest name on an increasingly interesting list of Leeds academy players to have been recognised by The Guardian’s Next Generation series.
The previous selections have taken very different paths, with Archie Gray establishing himself at the highest level and others continuing their careers elsewhere.
For Morrall, though, this is only the beginning.
Having made his first steps into Under-18 football last season, the 16-year-old now has the opportunity to build on his promising start at Elland Road — and perhaps become the next Leeds academy graduate to make the leap into senior football.
