After some sensational performances to start the 2021-22 season, Stoke City's Harry Souttar is once again attracting the attention of Premier League clubs.

The giant centre-half has seen scouts from both Everton and Tottenham Hotspur watch him in recent weeks according to the Stoke Sentinel and he put in another commanding performance in-front of the Sky Sports cameras against West Bromwich Albion last week.

Regularly playing alongside fellow young defenders Leo Ostigard and Ben Wilmot, Souttar is earning rave reviews and he's now on international duty with Australia, where he's flourished so far in his short time with the Socceroos.

The 22-year-old has notched six goals in seven international appearances - all unsurprisingly from headers - and that's perhaps the one thing he can improve on at club level having only scored one league goal for the Potters.

There were rumours at the end of the previous campaign linking Souttar with an upwards move to the Premier League, with the likes of Wolves, West Ham and Crystal Palace all apparently showing an interest - and now Australia manager Graham Arnold has confirmed he heard there was some interest in Stoke's man but believes he's doing just fine at the bet365 Stadium.

“There were a few whispers just before we went to the Olympics about a few Premier League clubs, and he’s gone back to Stoke City, he’s doing exceptionally well,” Arnold said to the Sydney Morning Herald, via the Stoke Sentinel.

“He’s got a coach that trusts him enormously in Michael O’Neill but if you look at Harry, he’s probably one of the only players I had at the Olympics that had anywhere near matched all the other players that were at the Olympics for match minutes - on the field every week and playing.

"Harry's got so much potential. He's great to have around. He's got such a great mentality and he's such a great kid. It's fantastic for Australia and for Harry if those types of things happen."

The Verdict

Souttar is clearly relishing being a leader at the back for Stoke despite being so young, and it's all working out on the pitch for the team.

But the more he plays well, the more he's going to get eagle-eyed scouts watching him and there's a sense that he can easily make that step up into the Premier League.

Stoke already cashed in on one young centre-back this summer in Nathan Collins and they won't want to necessarily let Souttar go as well, especially as he's tied to a long-term contract.

But if Souttar wants to jump into the top flight already then are the club going to stand in his way? Money could be reinvested into the squad but he would be a massive miss - he's getting regular football as Arnold pointed out though at Stoke so it may be wise to wait this one out and look at the bigger picture in the summer of 2022.