(Please post sources wherever possible.) STOKE are chasing USA striker Aron Johannsson as a potential replacement for Peter Crouch. please log in to view this image ICEMAN: Johannsson is being chased by a host of top clubs But Potters boss Mark Hughes faces competition from a number of clubs for the £3million-rated hitman including Scottish champions Celtic. Former England striker Crouch, 32, could move from the Britannia Stadium in this month’s transfer window. His old Stoke boss, Tony Pulis, wants to take him to Crystal Palace. And his Stoke successor, Hughes, is keen on Johannsson, 23, who was born in America to Icelandic parents. The promising star, who can also operate as a winger, played for the Iceland Under-21s side before USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann persuaded him to pledge his international future to his country of birth. Now with Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, Johannsson is in line to make the USA squad for the Brazil World Cup. http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/358906/Stoke-in-for-Aron-Johannsson
Let Crouch go to QPR or Palace and then bring him in. 13 in 24, so sign him! Hopefully he won't be like Altidode, playing well in the Eredevise and then flopping in the BPL.
Crouch has done well in my view. He just needs some support! However, I would have Lambert at the 70k a week if Crouch is on 60K! If thus guy is going to be a replacement I would like to see how many he scores USA league is a bit different to the EPL!
I think that recently Crouch has improved probably due to the fact that there has been more support but at 32 his best years are behind him so a younger striker makes sense, just hope he's got a bit of fire in his belly.
He has been playing well, but he is still getting old (for football terms) and we can still get about £3.5 million for him. Stoke City rumors has lit up with rumors such as: 1. £3million for Kalou 2. £7 million for Michael Bradley (Roma and US midfielder) 3. Stephen Ireland (£1.5 million) and Assaidi bid of £3 million 4. Shane Long £2 million 5. Guidetti and Rodwell (6 month loans) 6. Walters, Whelan and Etherington for £8.5 million to Palace 7. Luuk de Jong £7m 8. Aron johnasson £5m 9. Michael Mancienne - Short loan 10. Juan Agudelo - free, depending on work premit 11. Kevin de Bruyne - short loan 12. Mame Diouf - £5m (give or take) 13. Jolean Lescott- £4m 14. Micah Richards - £7m 15. Palacios £500k to Real Betis Most of them sound like BS, but some sound promising/likely
1, 3, 4, 6, 10, 12 & 15 seem probable and reasonable - I wouldn't mind Richards but I think Cameron is doing a good job and it would seem a lot of money for us. If we off load Jones (or Crouch) and bring in the above I think that would see us through nicely with a very reasonable net spend over the season.
I heard/saw that Juan Agudelo was at the game on Saturday... seen outside the ground and also in the Matthews Suite and player's lounge. But, no work permit yet so it would be a case of signing him, then loaning him to a club in Europe. IF we could get Guidetti personally I would prefer him to Agudelo he's unproven and as Cris say's.. The U.S. League is not even close to the EPL. And I've just heard that Luuk de yong could be a Newcastle player soon! IF Walters, Whelan and Co do leave I will cartwheel naked around the Stadium in the snow. Just surprised they are worth that much!
Transfermarkt saying that Agudelo is part of our squad? :O http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/stoke-city/startseite/verein_512.html < there on the squad list towards the bottom
Me owd man told me Agudelo is training with us, but he can't apply for a work permit again until March. Not sure where he heard it though. And I heard on the Guardians Football Weekly podcast (which I recommend. They're not as biased as other shows, and are pretty funny) that Cardiff are also in for Diouf, they said Solskjær is mates with Diouf's agent and has already signed 2 of his players, so I think that could swing it in their favour.
Rather disappointing if we have to wait until March for a work permit for Aguedela, hardly worth pursuing. Things do seem quiet at the moment, but I hope things are developing behind the scenes.
It seems quiet behind the scenes as well PP PETER Coates says Stoke City's Premier League position is strong enough to avoid the need for any panic buying during the January transfer window. The Potters chairman declared himself satisfied with the club's first five months under new boss Mark Hughes after they entered the new year six places and five points clear of the bottom three. Read more: http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Stok...tory-20412702-detail/story.html#ixzz2ppujqFyY
I think this is a fair comment and the last thing we need to do is pay inflated money on a so so buy. I would prefer to clear out some of the old wood and invest in some youth than just buy for the sake of buying. Having said that I nice out of the blue quality signing would be much appreciated.
If we all read exactly what Peter Coates said, nowhere did he say.. " There won't be any players coming in" I'm with you Smithers, 1 out of the blue (as good or better than what we have) I would be happy enough. A bit P***ed off about Agudelo tbh, CHELSEA did it so why don't the FA make an exception for us too?
Clearing some trees out works for me, if we do get someone in would prefer then to be young with a good engine.
Cardiff now in for Diouf and have made contact. Doesn't look good. However this is the most likely thing to happen: We actually permasign Ireland & Assaidi and loan Guidetti and possibly loan to buy De Jong.
I can see the Ireland one happening, and had been more positive about getting Assaidi, but I saw on the Sentinel site the other day that Fiorentina and Lazio are both looking into him. He seems fairly happy with us, and if Liverpool don't want him I think we're in with a chance, but an offer from a decent European side would probably see him go there.
Assaidi indicated that he wanted to stay in the BPL, so it is unlikely that he wants to go the Serie A
The Telegraph are reporting that the Ireland deal is done; http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...elands-loan-move-to-Stoke-City-permanent.html Stephen Ireland's turbulent spell at Aston Villa appears to be finally over as he prepares to sign a permanent deal with Stoke City, following an impressive spell on loan. The midfielder's Villa contract expires this summer but Stoke have taken over his deal until the end of the season. Ireland's capture will enable Hughes, the manager, to make another loan signing this month with Manchester City striker John Guidetti a target. Villa signed the Republic of Ireland international for around £8 million in August 2010 and were keen to remove his £55,000 a week wages off the books.