Leicester City reporter Rob Tanner has backed Harry Souttar to play a role in Australia’s World Cup campaign despite the defender only just returning to club football after a 483 day injury layoff.
Souttar’s man-of-the-match performance in the Foxes’ 1-1 draw with Millwall on Friday was his first senior appearance since tearing his achilles while on loan at Sheffield United in December 2024. Leicester have one match of what’s been a miserable season left to play, against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.
Souttar has proven he can perform for the Socceroos off a short preparation before, his circumstance reminiscent of his lead into the 2022 World Cup. After tearing his ACL in a November 2021 World Cup qualifier, he played only a handful of times for Stoke City before arriving in Qatar 13 months later for a tournament at which he was exceptional.
‘His performance on Friday night was outstanding, and exactly what Leicester had been missing: he was determined, showed a bit of character,’ The Athletic’s Tanner told Box2Box.
‘With the amount of goals Leicester have conceded from set pieces this season, they’ve defended like wet lettuces at times. We know Souttar has the physicality, but he’s also got the hunger and desire, as an out-and-out defender, to go and stop the ball from going in the net. That’s what you want.
‘He is obviously going to get another game against Blackburn, final day of the season. If he comes through that with no problems, fitness-wise, then he’s good to go for you guys.’
Beyond the World Cup Souttar and Leicester will have decisions to make as he looks to rebuild a club career that has stalled since his breakout performances in Qatar.
Signed on a five-year deal in January 2023 by a club then in the Premier League, the Foxes are now facing life in League One after three relegations in four years, the bulk of which Souttar has watched from the rehab room.
He’s played just forty-five senior club matches since Australia lost to Argentina in the Round of 16 in December 2022. Twenty-one of those were while on loan at United, a time during which he stated: “It’s really great to be playing, to feel like a player again, and to get treated like a proper football player is really nice.”
Still only 27, he remains contracted until mid-2028.
‘He’s had such a terrible time since he joined. His first half of his first season ended in relegation [from the Premier League], then he’s hardly featured at all. Enzo Maresca didn’t fancy him, then he’s been out on loan and his injuries have been terrible,’ said Tanner.
‘If he stays, and he’s under contract, then another Championship club might think he’s worth taking a little risk on. He would be the linchpin of [any such] team next season.’