January sales rumours are Stoked up

There are still another two weeks before the January transfer window opens but Stoke are already being linked to several players.

Tony Pulis has said that the Potters will be in the market for new players and we know that another striker is on the shopping list with probably some more bolstering of the midfield and (because it’s TP we’re talking about) yet more defenders.

Some of the same names that were doing the rounds last summer have already resurfaced with Marlon Harewood likely to be transfer listing by Martin O’Neil at Aston Villa. Jermaine Pennant is another that was named in August but the Liverpool winger is still not keen on a move despite Rafa Benitez’s determination to get some money back for him before he becomes a free agent in the summer. Joe Ledley was reported to be keen to join the Potters in the summer, but Cardiff rebuffed several bids from Stoke right up to close of the transfer window on September 1st. They’re still keen to keep the Welsh international and are desperate for him to sign a new contract, but we face a fight with Everton should the Bluebirds fail to hang on to him.

Southampton duo, Andrew Surman and Adam Lallana could be snapped up for £1.5m each as the Saints look to avoid financial meltdown on the south coast. Both have been regulars for the Saints this season and have also attracted the interest of last Saturday’s opponents, Fulham. Surman has notched up six goals in the process, whilst Lallana has two.

Derby’s Miles Addison is yet another alleged target that’s not gone away after the summer rumour mill. It was reported at the time that we’d offered £500,000 for the 19 year old but that the bid was rejected. According to the Mirror, we’re ready to double that offer to £1m for the defender who played in the Rams’ eleven that beat us at the Brit a couple of weeks ago.

Meanwhile, Tony Pulis was off scouting ‘somewhere in Europe’ today as the club look to get their shortlist ready for the start of business on January 1st.