Premier League Stoke City have shown an interest in Maidstone academy defender Will Thomas.

The Potters watched him last week and are one of several clubs running their eye over the young centre-half, who is gaining experience of men’s football on loan at Ryman League Hythe.

He’s also been invited to train with League 1 Colchester.

Stones boss Jay Saunders said: “We’re expecting Colchester to happen any minute and Stoke watched him last week. It just shows how word spreads.

“He’s someone who’s got a few clubs looking at him and Jack Richards is another one.”

Last season, Stones saw academy defender Ben Swift join Aston Villa and first-team right-back Aaron Simpson move to Wolves.

Saunders added: “League clubs are looking more at non-league because of the Jamie Vardy thing, it’s made them sniff about that bit more.

“If I were to give someone like Jack Richards a run of 10 games in Conference South, I do believe a league club would take him because they’d see a 17-year-old playing regular football at that level and think he must be worth a chance.

“Look at Simmo last season. He had a run of games and suddenly he was off to Wolves.”