Stoke City boss Tony Pulis says Ryan Shawcross will be allowed to leave the club should any of the Premier League's giants come calling.

Shawcross, who has been called into Roy Hodgson's England squad for the friendly against Sweden next week, has 18 months to run on his current deal at The Britannia Stadium.

Both Manchester United and Chelsea have been linked with a move for the 25 year old, and Pulis says should the club fail to agree an extension to his contract, then The Potters would not stand in his way.

Ryan Shawcross
Shawcross has been linked with a return to Manchester United. Getty Images

"We're hoping and praying Ryan will be a Stoke City player for the rest of his life and there's no way in a million years we would stop [a] top three [or] four club coming in and if they paid the money, stop Ryan from going there," Pulis said.

"I think that's a natural progression for every top sportsman. To play at the top, top level, and if that came along - if the deal was right and everything was right - it's very difficult to try and stop players going to the top clubs now.

"We know that, but we want to do [is] we want to try and ensure we have him for the rest of his career if that doesn't happen, because we're really happy with him."

The former United defender has been linked with a return to Old Trafford after boss Sir Alex Ferguson expressed his regret in allowing the centre-back to leave the club in 2008.

"I was delighted to see him called up for the England squad because he is a quality player I have wished - particularly of late - was still at Old Trafford," the United boss stated amid injuries to a host of key defenders last month.

"The problem was that at the time of his release we had an especially strong group of young centre-halves and it was becoming impossible to give them all games at the level their progress warranted.

"We had Jonny Evans, Gerard Piqué, Ryan Shawcross, Craig Cathcart, and Paul McShane, and something had to give We made the right decision keeping Jonny Evans but I'm not so sure about letting Shawcross join Stoke."

Chelsea have also been mentioned as a potential destination for Shawcross, and the physique and attributes of the Chester-born player would make him an ideal replacement for current skipper John Terry.