By Paul Fletcher

You know that scouts are watching - they will come and look at people who are doing well Billy Sharp

Scunthorpe striker Billy Sharp says that he is determined to improve to fulfil his ambition of playing Premiership football.

Sharp is League One's top scorer with 22 league goals while his team are six points clear at the top of the table.

"I can improve again next season and become an even better player," Sharp, 21, told BBC Sport.

"Everyone has ambitions. I want to play at the highest level and hopefully one day I can."

Sharp's goal-scoring exploits - he scored 24 in all competitions last season - have seen him linked with several clubs.

But although he was aware of interest during the January transfer window, he knew that he would not leave the club.

"You know that scouts are watching - they will come and look at people who are doing well," added Sharp.

"But I always thought I would be there until the end of the season at least because my strike partner Andy Keogh only had six months left on his contract.

"The club would never have sold us both and had they not sold Andy they would have got nothing for him in the summer."

Keogh moved to Championship side Wolves for £600,000 in January - but has remained in touch with his former team-mate.

"I still speak to him a lot," said the former Sheffield United player.

I am trying to copy players from the Premiership so that I can get there as well Billy Sharp

"He said the facilities are great and it is good to be playing higher football.

"He was one of our better players but we have replaced him with a decent striker who also started at Leeds in Jermaine Beckford and he is doing well."

Sharp, who is in his second season at Scunthorpe, watches top Premiership strikers to try to improve his game.

"I see other players and I try to learn off them," said the Yorkshireman.

"I am trying to copy players from the Premiership so that I can get there as well.

"I used to watch Alan Shearer but he has retired now and my current favourite is Michael Owen - he is injured and not playing either. Thierry Henry is unbelievable - you can learn a lot from him."

Sharp is confident that with more experience he will become a better player - and determined to keep enjoying his football.

"Last season I had a bad patch in December," he said.

"I was kicking myself, letting my head go down and thinking that I had to score.

"This season I have been focusing on enjoying my football in the knowledge the goals will come - and thankfully they have.