Derby County, Swansea City, Charlton Athletic & Hull City plot January swoops for Leeds United forward | OneFootball

Four Championship clubs are watching a 17-year-old striker who's already the subject of an international tug of love between England & Scotland.

Championship quartet Derby County, Charlton Athletic, Hull City and Swansea City all watched Leeds United's Harry Gray in action for the Whites' Under-21 side in midweek ahead of a potential January loan move.

The Vertu Trophy's group stage matches are not renowned for the size of their attendances, but the crowd at The Crown Ground at Accrington for the match between Accrington Stanley and Leeds United Under-21s was swollen by the presence of four Championship clubs who could be interested in taking on the Leeds starlet Harry Gray, who's been impressing with his performances for them already this season.

Gray comes from quite a football lineage.

He's the son of Andy, who played professionally for a number of clubs over a period of almost two decades including Leeds themselves, and is also the grandson of Frank Gray, the great nephew of Eddie Gray, both of whom also played for Leeds and represented Scotland at international level, and is the brother of Archie Gray, who is currently playing in the Premier League for Tottenham Hotspur.

Derby, Swansea, Charlton and Hull are all interested in Leeds starlet Harry Gray

Journalist Alan Nixon revealed on Sunday morning through his Patreon that Derby County, Charlton Athletic, Swansea City and Hull City were the four clubs in attendance at The Crown Ground for this match, which ended with Accrington winning 3-2 but with Gray scoring twice for the Leeds youngsters.

These four clubs are all reported to be interested in a January loan move for Gray, and that Charlton may be the favourites to land his signature because they were among the clubs for whom his father played, though Nixon adds that any final decision over such a move would rest with Leeds United.

Nixon also reports that there is a tug-of-love going on between England and Scotland over Gray's international future, and that Scotland wanted to select the young striker for the current round of international matches, but that the player hasn't decided on his international future and wants to wait before making a final decision.

Harry Gray is certainly held in high regard at Elland Road, having made his Championship debut for them at the end of last season, after coming on as a late substitute during their 6-0 win against Stoke City in April.

A loan move to the EFL would be the natural next step for the 17-year-old in order to get him some experience in a competitive environment. But which club would be the best for his development remains very much open to question.

Over a career spanning 19 years, his father Andy played for Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Bradford City, Sheffield United, Sunderland, Burnley, Charlton and Barnsley, as well as having numerous loan spells elsewhere.

But while a young player would be consulted at such a point, the final decision would rest with his parent club, and it's doubtful that Leeds would give much consideration to sentimental reasons over practical ones, were they to decide that January would be the best time to test him out in the EFL.

The decision over his international future may also be made on similarly pragmatic grounds. Harry Gray's father Andy, grandfather Frank and great uncle Eddie all represented Scotland, but his brother Archie has only played within the England international set-up, having represented the Three Lions at U15, U16, U17, U19, U20 and U21 levels.

Whatever the future holds for this exciting young player, there is already considerable interest in him, and the decisions that are made now will have a huge impact on the shape that his career ends up taking.