Birmingham City boss Gary Rowett has claimed that Demarai Gray is "still learning" with each passing game, as interest in the youngster continues to grow.

The England Under-20 international is thought to have turned down a move to Leicester City in the summer, while Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion have also been strongly linked in the past.

Rowett is happy to see Gray continue to ply his trade at St Andrew's, however, and has backed the youngster to further develop his all-round game after finding the net against Leeds United last time out.

"I don't know many players at 19 who would attract as much defensive cover as Dimmy," he is quoted as saying by the club's official website. "People are doubling up and even tripling up on him. If that happens in games sometimes he drifts inside into central areas and he finds a bit of space.

"That might often be the time when I say 'You know what, he's just had a bit of space centrally and a bit of joy, so let's stick him there'. It's something he can do, it's something we will look at and something that might happen more as the season goes on.

"I don't think he is suddenly going to become a striker but when he's down the middle of the pitch he's got a bit more space because he can go either way. We have tried it two or three times, it's not an easy position to play for anyone who's played there, he's still learning, he's bright and wants to learn and that's the main thing."

Gray penned a new three-year deal at Birmingham earlier this year.