(Football news) Leicester City have signed Australia defender Harry Souttar from Stoke City on Tuesday in a long-term deal that will keep him at the club until the end of the 2027-28 season. The 24-year-old had an outstanding World Cup as Australia won two matches for the first time before losing to eventual winners Argentina in the round of 16. The Scotland-born centre-half back who qualifies to play for Australia through his mother, joined second-tier Stoke from Dundee United in 2016 and has since played 70 times for the Potters in all competitions.
A very serious knee injury ruled him out for an entire year last season but has come out all guns blazing this season and his move to Leicester was completed late on Tuesday evening after he underwent a medical. The fee was undisclosed amount but it was certainly more than the £10 million pounds that Manchester City paid Huddersfield Town for Aaron Mooy in 2017, making it the biggest transfer for an Australia international.
The Socceroos players used to be a familiar sight in the Premier League from Craig Johnston through to the likes of Viduka, Harry Kewell, Lucas Neill, Tim Cahill, Mark Schwarzer and Mile Jedinak but in recent years they have become more rare. Mat Ryan had four seasons at Brighton where he was briefly joined by Mooy as the Australian number one had a spell on loan as Arsenal’s back-up keeper in 2021. Harry Souttar at 6’7 will be one of the tallest players in the Premier League as he will straight away get into the Leicester City back line instead of Soyuncu
Souttar was born in Aberdeen and his brother John is a Scotland international as he was capped by the country at under-17 and under-19 level. But Harry’s mother hails from Port Hedland in Western Australia and he chose to represent the Socceroos, making his debut in 2019. The 24-year-old nearly missed out on theWorld Cup after he tore his ACL playing for the Socceroos in November 2021, but he worked hard and regained fitness just in time. He was one of the few players who produced a series of eye-catching performances as Australia reached the round of 16.He will make his debut marking England captain Harry Kane this weekend.
“I’m delighted to join such a great football club and challenging myself in the Premier League is an opportunity that I couldn’t turn down,” he said in a news release. “There are world-class facilities here and a squad full of fantastic players, so I can’t wait to get started.”
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