Stoke City - Summer Transfer Speculation

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/new...meron-Jerome-Craig-Gardner-article744961.html

Stoke are ready to offer Liam Ridgewell a swift Premier League return by making a £3million swoop on Birmingham.

Potters boss Tony Pulis wants relegated Blues’ versatile left-back and are also interested in two of his St Andrew's team-mates, striker Cameron Jerome and midfielder Craig Gardner.

Ridgewell would be a good signing in my opinion, good left back and would be a good backup centre back for us, so he'd be an upgrade on Higgy. Gardner is a good box to box midfielder, can tackle, works hard, decent passer but i'm not too enthusiastic over the prospect of Jerome signing but I reckon he will eventually sign.

 

Would like us to get this lad, seems a cracking player. Someone who used to post on the 606 board, ProudPotter his name was, said on the Oatcake that he watches a lot of French League football and this particular guy is a really good player and would be a very good signing.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12876_6969628,00.html

Caen striker Youssef El Arabi admits he is flattered to be linked with a move to England.

Stoke City and Wolves have both been linked to the Moroccan international, who was one of the top-scorers in France last season.

Speaking to skysports.com, El Arabi has admitted that he is flattered by the link across the Channel - but says he does not know whether he will be sold.

"I am flattered by the different reports in the papers linking me with clubs in Europe, I did have a gentleman's agreement with the club to go this summer, but to be honest it depends on the club," he told skysports.com.

"I am an ambitious player and want to play week in, week out in a top league and test myself against the top defenders in world.

"If an offer came for me from a good team and my club get what they want, I will be off, I love the Premier League."

On possible Stoke interest, he added: "Stoke City? I heard their manager watched me but that was through a newspaper, nothing else."

Meanwhile, Stoke chairman Peter Coates has confirmed the club are scouting abroad.

"We are looking everywhere to see what players are about and are available. We are certainly not closed from bringing anyone in from abroad," he told the Stoke Sentinel.

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.u...ulis-checks/story-12723530-detail/story.html?

STOKE City chairman Peter Coates has confirmed the club are weighing up signings from abroad this summer after checking out Caen striker Youssef El-Arabi.

Manager Tony Pulis watched the Morocco international during a scouting trip to France last month and will be keeping tabs on the 24-year-old hit-man as City cast their net on the continent.

El-Arabi is under contract for another two years, but has told the Normandy club he wants to leave.

He is hoping for a move to England or Spain, and could command a fee of around £4m.

The French-born striker scored 17 goals in 39 games last season for Caen, who play in France's elite Ligue One.

Everton, Tottenham and Newcastle have all been linked with the striker, who came on as a substitute for Morocco on Saturday in their 4-0 win over Algeria in an African Cup of Nations qualifier.

Should Pulis pursue his interest, El-Arabi would join the likes of West Ham's England international Carlton Cole and Birmingham striker Cameron Jerome among Stoke's summer targets.

Stoke have won promotion and established themselves in the Premier League over the last three years by signing players who already have experience of playing in England.

However, the club showed their willingness to look abroad when they went close to signing Demba Ba from German side Hoffenheim in January.

That deal fell through when Ba failed a medical and instead signed for West Ham.

Coates said: "We wouldn't rule out signing players from abroad. We are looking everywhere to see what players are about and are available. We are certainly not closed from bringing anyone in from abroad.

"I think Demba Ba illustrates that. We wanted to sign him and would have taken him had it not been for his medical."

Stoke agreed a £7.1m fee for Ba, but decided against completing the deal after their medical team raised concerns about his long-term fitness following a knee operation last summer.

Ba scored seven goals in 13 games for West Ham, but failed to keep them in the Premier League.

Pulis is keen to bolster his forward line to provide competition for Jon Walters, Ricardo Fuller and Kenwyne Jones. Free agent John Carew's future remains uncertain after his loan spell from Aston Villa finished at the end of last season.

 

http://www.mercato365.com/infos-clubs/lille/article_535132_Fenerbahce-Offensive-pour-M.Sow.shtml

According to our information, Fenerbahçe is preparing to make an offer of fifteen million euros to secure the services of Moussa Sow. Lille but wants to extend the contract of its top scorer.
Reportedly, the leaders of Fenerbahce on Tuesday allocated a budget of fifteen million euros to secure the services of striker Moussa Sow Lille, also very popular in Naples and the English clubs (Newcastle and Sunderland). Emissaries came to see him against Sochaux (1-0, 36th day of L1) and PSG (2-2, 37th day).

 

Sgt
Thanks for this info mat but mostly this I've read in the local Sentinel. As is per usual, I THINK most of it is exactly what it's written on, paper.
I HOPE I'm wrong and T.P. moves quickly. It always worries me when you read, Wolves, Sunderland any other team I could name are also linked
with certain player's. Here's hoping this time we have a few surprises coming out way via Tony Pulis.

This guy looks decent though but, there is always a but Sgt.

 

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/new...n-set-to-quit-over-pay-row-article745375.html

Thomas Sorensen is set to quit Stoke unless he is given a pay rise.

The Danish keeper agreed a reduced salary when he signed his latest deal, with a bonus every time he plays.

But he was left out of pocket last season after losing his starting place to Asmir Begovic.

 

He wouldn't be the worst signing, he's got a decent future that lad if managed the right way. He's got good attributes, big, strong, bit of pace.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...to=feeds-newsxmlRanger.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Stoke and Queens Park Rangers are considering moves for Newcastle’s Nile Ranger.

The 20-year-old has been told he can leave St James’ Park by manager Alan Pardew.

Newcastle will accept a fee in the region of £1million for the England Under 19 forward.

 

If we sign ranger, jerome or cole i will cry! that is not moving forwards! they are all championship level strikers!!!!!

 

If Nile played up front by himself 4-5-1 would he be the Lone Ranger or if he joined us for a year would be the Loan Ranger and finally (hooray I hear) if he lent money to the squad would he be the Loan Arranger??

Enough

 

Ranger looks a good prospect, he's done well everytime I've seen him play for Castle, and he's got plenty of time to improve.

 

Nick
I HOPE that we City will dodge this Ranger deal, otherwise it would mean a shootout between a lot of cowboys..
Jones, Walters, Fuller, Jerome, and of course the loan Ranger.
We might as wll sign Tonto too play up front cos they aways won everything.
Ever heard that saying too many cowboys, we need more Indians.

 

Ranger has stated, that he will only sign for Stoke, if he can also attract his longtime sidekick Tonto.

Apparently the management are now on Google, trying to find said person & if we can sign him for less than £3 Mill.

 

£8m for Cameron bloody Jerome?! The world really has gone mad now!! I was hoping we'd stay clear of Jerome at any amount of money, but at that price especially. For £8m I would want a forward who had a better scoring record of 4 goals last season!! Like that Moroccan lad from France. Surely even Pulis won't try and sign Jerome for THAT amount of money. Would he?

http://www.birminghammail.net/birmi...rome-can-go-if-price-is-right-97319-28842055/

BLUES and Cameron Jerome have tacitly agreed to a parting of the ways should the club receive the right offer.

Bolton Wanderers have made a £5 million inquiry – no formal bid has been received – with Blues believed to be seeking a package nearer the £8 million mark, including add-ons, for the striker.

Stoke City came in for Jerome during both transfer windows this season and could enter the scene again.


But Bolton have shot to the head of the queue by making first contact and knocking figures about.

Blues’ financial plight following relegation means that they have to off-load some valuable members of the squad.

Although the board have promised that there would be no fire sale, money is needed to aid cashflow and soften the blow of a £30 million to £40 million loss of revenue.

And Alex McLeish would also be given a chunk of anything generated to try and revamp the squad.

McLeish has decided to bite the bullet over Jerome, should the asking price be met.

And Jerome has told friends that a change of scenery would probably be for the best.

Jerome scored just three league goals and often had a lonesome detail up front, which frustrated him.

He received a fair bit of criticism and spoke out about needing more service and support.

His work rate and all-round contribution to the team was praised by McLeish, but the manager desperately wanted him to be more clinical.

In 2009-10, Jerome became only the second player after Mikael Forssell to register double figures for Blues in the Premier League, with 11 goals.

His partnership with Christian Benitez proved fruitful - Benitez being more creator than scorer - but this campaign a variety of combinations up front didn’t come off, and Jerome was a mainstay as others were often injured.

Jerome was bought by Blues from Cardiff City in the summer of 2006 in a £4 million deal.

 

Sky Sports News reporting that Napoli are back in talks with Palacios

 

I would love it if we can sign this lad, he's got a bright future.

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/new...million-target-for-Potters-article745697.html

Tony Pulis is ready to raid relegated West Ham with a £2million swoop for Jack Collison.

Stoke boss Pulis will target Collison for a switch after drawing up a list of targets.

The Wales midfielder, 22, is set for talks with new Hammers boss Sam Allardyce over his future shortly.

 

This is an annoying rumour, but it does seem to be doing the rounds lately. It would make sense for Villa to go for Matty, as they look set to be losing Downing to Liverpool, but surely it would make no sense for him to go there, but that still doesn't stop me worrying about it.

@Fourth_Official
Fourth Official
Aston Villa are sniffing around Stoke City's Matthew Etherington, no formal bid made as of yet #AVFC #SCFC

 

I doubt matty will go, he owes alot to this club.

 

I think this settles the matter:

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.u...earer-Stoke/story-12739731-detail/story.html?

STOKE favourite Matthew Etherington has underlined his long-term commitment to the club by trying to buy a new home in the area.

Etherington has already seen one deal on a property fall through after deciding to move his family closer to the Britannia Stadium.

The planned move was revealed by Etherington's father, Peter, who says the 29-year-old has never been more settled during his career.

"He's as happy as he's ever been," said Etherington senior.

"He's still trying to buy a house in the Staffordshire area to put down roots locally.

"He's a very happy guy. He loves the club and has a love affair going with the fans.

"He can look at himself in the mirror, smile at himself and be proud of himself – and that's the most important thing.

"Forget the footballer. As a person, he's one of the nicest guys you could ever meet.

"I'm as proud of him as a person as I am of him as a footballer."

Etherington earned widespread acclaim after conquering a much-publicised gambling addiction with the help of his family and the club.

Sadly, the end to a potentially fairytale season was to be tarnished by the hamstring injury which threatened his eventual participation in the FA Cup final against Manchester City.

Etherington senior, always a close confidante of his son, recalled: "I was at the Wolves game when the injury happened.

"I was devastated for Matty because he had played such a prominent part in the semi-final. For the first two days I've never seen him as low."

Etherington eventually fought off the injury to play, and his father has applauded the team spirit that helped him through the crisis.

"They are a tight-knit group of players," he said. "They want the best for each other.

"You don't get that at every club."

 

http://www.teamtalk.com/birmingham-city/6976951/Blues-spurn-Bolton-s-CJ-bid?

Bolton have reportedly had an initial bid for Cameron Jerome rejected by Birmingham, who are said to be demanding £8million for the striker.

The Blues were relegated from the Premier League on the last day of the season and now face a battle to keep hold of their key players.

Jerome is understood to have been targeted by Wanderers boss Owen Coyle but their approach has been rebuffed by City.

The 24-year-old only hit five goals last term but Birmingham are thought to be holding out for a fee of around £8million.

Bolton, therefore, will have to up their original offer earlier in the week which has been reported to be in the region of £5million.

Jerome made the switch to St Andrew's in 2006 from Cardiff and has also attracted interest from Stoke, who tried to sign him twice last season.

 

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6970407,00.html?

Auxerre defender Cedric Hengbart claims that Stoke, Blackburn and Queens Park Rangers are battling for his signature.

Skysports.com revealed at the beginning of June that Blackburn were interested in the Frenchman, while Newcastle and Wigan were also linked with a possible bid.

Hengbart is entering the final year of his contract at Auxerre and a move to the Premier League would appeal to the 30-year-old.

He said in the Daily Star: "I have contacts in England.

"Stoke and Blackburn are the most serious ones and there's also QPR to a slightly less degree.

Hengbart also claims that he has received interest from the Bundesliga, but England or remaining in France are his preferred options.

He added: "Werder Bremen and Hannover have also been in touch. But Germany is my third priority behind England and France."

 

Great news about mattty
Good news about jerome, let bolton have him!
And i wouldn't mind that Hengbert at Stoke.