The 22-year-old is a fixture under O’Neill in the Stoke backline and is considered a bright defensive talent.

 

It has been claimed that Australia international Souttar has drawn admiring glances from several top flight clubs, in the likes of West Ham, Wolves and Crystal Palace, with their scouts keeping a close eye on the player.

 

 

However, Stoke boss O’Neill is unsure of the claims linking Souttar with Premier League clubs and feels it is the media that mostly makes up such reports.

 

O’Neill added that even if Souttar is attracting genuine interest it is normal for a young player like him especially with the season he is having at Stoke.

 

 

“It’s funny. The linking is always done by the media and then the media ask me about the linking!”, O’Neill, asked about the links, told a press conference.

 

“It’s a good process, that.

 

 

“Look, Harry has had a good season and the likes of Harry, Nathan [Collins] and Tyrese [Campbell].

 

“Young players who play in the Championship are always going to attract attention and I think it’s one thing that’s gone amiss that we’ve had the most minutes played by under-23 players in the Championship this season.”

 

Souttar has played 32 Championship games for Stoke this season and it remains to be seen whether his club will receive any concrete offers for him when the transfer window swings open in the summer