One of Manchester United's chief scouts has been tracking the progress of Stoke City defender Nathan Collins, according to Sky Sports Transfer Centre (10:38, 01/03).

Collins has not managed to nail down a regular starting spot in the Stoke line-up this campaign, but the 18-year-old has made nine appearances for the Potters this term which includes a brief cameo during the 1-1 draw with Luton on Saturday afternoon.

This outing means the centre-back has now featured in each of Stoke's last three league outings, and it has now emerged that Collins is attracting top-flight interest with United reportedly keeping a close eye on his progress at the bet365 Stadium.

United have been keen to recruit young talent over the last 12 months with Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James having joined last summer, with the latter having been signed following his strong displays in the Championship for Swansea City.

It now appears as though Collins is the latest young player to capture the attention of the Old Trafford hierarchy, with the teenager having clearly impressed during his 15 senior appearances for Stoke since breaking through the club's academy ranks.

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The Verdict

Collins clearly possesses an abundance of talent for a player who is still only 18 years of age, but United will surely want to wait for him to become a regular in the Potters' starting line-up before they consider making a transfer move for the defender.

The Premier League giants will need to assess how Collins is able to perform on a regular basis in the Potters' side before they make their move, but the fact he has now featured in the last three matches suggests he could be in line for a breakthrough.

Stoke will definitely be keen to keep hold of Collins given he has barely made his mark at the bet365 Stadium yet, and this means they will likely demand a sizeable fee for the Republic of Ireland youth international's services if United make an enquiry.