Stoke City have a big season coming up as they look to fight for the top six after a poor season back in the Championship, but we have earmarked one brave decision they should make as Manchester United circle for their highly rated defender Nathan Collins.

Trusted reporter Pete O'Rourke wrote on Wednesday that the Red Devils had submitted a £7m bid for the Stoke defender.

Now, Stoke must make a decision on what to do with Collins, and we think they should reject the offer and promote the defender to a more senior role.

He would not play regularly at United anyway, so it makes sense for him to have another season or two at the Potters, where he could develop as a player.

This would increase his market value further and Stoke could get a big fee for him this time in twelve months or so.

The centre-back, 18, broke into the Stoke first team at the back end of this season, with Nathan Jones granting him playing time when the season was all but over for his Stoke side.

But this position has been a troubled area for the Staffordshire club for some time, and Collins could be the man to step up and fix it next season, despite his tender age.

£7m for a player who has hardly played seems very steep, but Stoke will do all they can not to lose one of their prize assets from the youth academy.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is eager to bring in young talent to Manchester United this summer, as he looks to completely revamp the squad from top to bottom after a few years of disappointment.

Collins joined Stoke in 2017 from Dublin-based side Cherry Orchard, and has impressed in the youth ranks, earning him a call up to the first team.

With Shawcross ageing and the other defenders underperforming, there is a real chance for Collins to step in and really make a name for himself next season.

While United may be a dream move for him, he needs to stay at Stoke for at least another year, and rejecting a deal could see his value rise by a huge amount if he plays next season, meaning Stoke can get a better fee for him.