Anyone who watched Leeds United last season will know why Archie Gray was mentioned in dispatches by England boss Gareth Southgate and was named the Championship's young player of the year. It's also pretty clear why some Premier League teams have been keeping a close eye on his progress too.

But when you go from your full debut season in the EFL to then being linked with Champions League clubs, that's something of a jump reserved for only the best talent. Gray is certainly that, and former Leeds title-winner Gordon Strachan certainly knows it.

Strachan has laid clear he understands the Premier League links with Leeds United's 'fantastic prospect' Gray.

The versatile 18-year-old burst onto the scene this season for the Whites, featuring 52 times across several positions on Leeds' route to the Championship play-off final as the season drew to a disappointing close with defeat against Southampton. Failure to earn promotion to the Premier League may mean Leeds are forced to sell some key players, and Gray is one of the most highly sought after, but arguably the one Leeds won't want to see go.

According to reports, Manchester City, Arsenal and Brighton are said to be linked, while Tottenham Hotspur are lining up a deal that may include a swap with Joe Rodon heading to Elland Road. The rumour mill suggesting a move to the nation's maiden division is of little surprise to former Leeds man Strachan.

"I've known about Archie and his brother for a long, long time," Styrachan told Prime Casino. "His brother is meant to be every bit as good as him. I know the Gray family very, very well. The Gray brothers have been on my radar because people I respect have told me about them; they've gone on and on about them.

"I'm thinking to myself, I've been hearing about how brilliant Archie could be since he was twelve. Your natural instinct is to question what you've heard because everyone always tells you stories about this youngster who is thirteen or fourteen - all of my mates at school were going to be professionals too (laughs) - but then I saw the boy play with my own eyes.

"Wow. It doesn't matter where you put him, he can play there. He hasn't been brilliant in every single game, but then that's what you would expect from an eighteen-year-old. He's a fantastic prospect. I like his intelligence. He's got the ability to play in different positions.

"This guy has got everything you want from a prospect. I can see why there are a lot of Premier League clubs that would like to take him."