Southampton defender Kyle Walker-Peters is now showing he is a ‘top performer in the Premier League’, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The 24-year-old has become a crucial cog in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s setup over the last couple of years and is now beginning to be recognised for his impressive displays.

What is the latest news involving Walker-Peters?

Walker-Peters arrived at St. Mary’s on an initial six-month loan deal in January 2020 before Southampton made his move from Tottenham Hotspur permanent that summer for £12 million.

Upon signing a five-year deal, the former England Under-21 international revealed that he felt as though he has ‘already developed’ under Hasenhuttl and that the club’s ‘great reputation for improving young players’ influenced his decision to complete a permanent move.

In his first full season with the Saints, Walker-Peters provided three assists across 35 appearances in all competitions as his side limped to a 15^th-paced finish in the Premier League.

But despite being forced to play at left-back for the first half of the season due to the impressive form of summer signing Tino Livramento, he has elevated his game to new heights this time around.

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Walker-Peters has already racked up five goal contributions in just 21 outings while playing the majority of those games in an unfavoured position.

An injury to Livramento has allowed the 5 foot 6 ace to switch back to his preferred right-back role in recent weeks, and it’s set to be an intriguing battle between the pair to see who Hasenhuttl sticks with.

What has O’Rourke said about Walker-Peters?

After struggling to break into the Spurs starting XI, Walker-Peters was forced to depart his boyhood club in search of regular game time.

And in doing so, O’Rourke believes he has showcased his credentials as an elite performer in the top-flight of English football.

He told GiveMeSport: “He ended up going to Southampton, and he's now showing with regular games that he is a top performer in the Premier League. I think he's been very impressive for Southampton over the last couple of seasons.”

How good has Walker-Peters been?

In Hasenhuttl’s preferred 4-2-2-2 formation, the full-backs are relied upon to provide the width, allowing the inside forwards to drift into central areas and support attacks from there.

And Walker-Peters has provided an attacking thrust down the flanks to great effect throughout his time at Southampton, as his underlying numbers indicate.

As per FBref, he ranks in the 88^th percentile for progressive carries, the 87^th for touches in the attacking penalty area and 86^th for dribbles completed when compared to players in his position over the last year.

Therefore, Tottenham may now be ruing his departure, especially with the struggles they have faced at right-back with Serge Aurier, Matt Doherty and Emerson Royal.