Fleetwood Town are in advanced talks to sign Stoke City centre-half Harry Souttar

The Gazette understands Town are negotiating a deal to bring the 20-year-old defender to Highbury.

Souttar's only senior appearance this season was in the Carabao Cup defeat at Nottingham Forest in September and he played three times for Stoke's Under-21s in the Checkatrade Trophy.

He has previous loan experience, with a 13-game spell at Scottish club Ross County in the second half of last season.

Town boss Joey Barton has been keen to recruit a centre-half after Cian Bolger's departure to League Two Lincoln City and loanee Tommy Spurr's return to Preston North End.

Those exits have left Town with just two senior centre-halves in Ash Eastham and Craig Morgan.

With young Nathan Sheron and academy prospect James Hill as his only back-up, Barton is now looking to strengthen that area and fill the final loan spot vacated by Spurr.