Igor Tudor admits where Archie Gray’s best position is after 20-year-old runs the show against Atletico Madrid

Archie Gray produced a strong performance in Tottenham’s 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

Tottenham Hotspur won 3-2 against Atletico Madrid on the night in N17 but went out of the Champions League due to a 7-5 scoreline on aggregate, following that 5-2 defeat in the Spanish capital in the first leg last week.

After a credible 1-1 draw with Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, Spurs built on that performance with a much-improved display of energy, intensity and attacking quality, something the fans have seldom watched this season. Xavi Simons claimed the Man of the Match accolade for his brace and hogged the limelight, but Archie Gray’s stature grew further after the midweek European game.

The recently turned 20-year-old enjoyed another impressive outing in the middle of the park for the Lilywhites. The Englishman ran the show as a deep-lying playmaker, displaying his maturity, technical security and reading of the game in abundance. Against some Atletico Madrid’s seasoned campaigners, Archie Gray kept his composure and emerged as one of the night’s standout performers. He earned a rating of 7/10 for his overall display and assist for Simons’ first goal vs. Atletico Madrid.

Igor Tudor makes admission on Archie Gray’s best position

Archie Gray has arguably been the standout player in an otherwise lacklustre campaign at White Hart Lane. The England under-21 international has operated in various positions across defence and midfield since arriving at Tottenham from boyhood club Leeds United in 2024, thanks to their unprecedented injury situation.

It is difficult for any youngster to maintain such consistency while playing in different positions almost every single game, but he has done that with great ease and poise. And this has led to Igor Tudor admitting that it is Gray’s unique mix of technical skills and physicality that makes him so special. He also revealed that central midfield is the youngster’s best position now and moving forward.

“I agree, I agree. He’s a guy, you know the positions he plays everywhere, so probably this position in the middle is, I believe, the best one for him,” Tudor said in his press conference (h/t Football London).

“But he’s playing continually in the right way, in a good way. It’s a mix of quality, physically and mentally, to always make the right choices and be humble and have the legs to do so. He needs to continue this, he’s still young, so every day he needs to be a new confirmation.”

Gray is a star in the making for Tottenham

While Tottenham’s Champions League campaign ended on a bittersweet note, Gray created a record by making seven consecutive starts in the competition by a Spurs player aged under 21. By doing so, he broke Dele Alli’s record of six Champions League starts in a row.

The English talent is one of the very few players who can hold his head up and walk in an otherwise terrible season. At 20, Gray being the Lilywhites’ standout performer since the turn of the year, speaks volumes about his talent and ceiling. No wonder the versatile midfielder is coveted by the likes of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

The Durham-born prodigy is a long-term valuable asset for the Lilywhites, and if groomed properly, Gray has the potential to become one of the best players in his natural position. Indeed, he is a star in the making at N17.