Stoke hunt for Chadwick replacement

Stoke City manager, Tony Pulis has stated that he already has several names in mind after Luke Chadwick’s sudden departure to Norwich on loan. The two clubs have agreed that Luke will sign a permanent contract for £220,000 in January, giving the Potters a decent return on the £100,000 he cost us when he signed from West Ham at the start of the year.

Chadwick has confirmed that he left for solely personal reasons as he struggled with the constant commuting between his home in Cambridge and Stoke after his family found it difficult to settle in the area. He told the official site: “I wish Stoke City all the best because the club has been fantastic to me since I joined.
“I can’t thank them enough for their understanding. They know my desire to leave was nothing to do with them and I just hope the fans also understand that.
“The team is doing great at the moment and I would have loved to have been part of what promises to be a bright future for the club.
“However, I have to put my family first. My wife and children moved back to Cambridge at the end of last season and I’ve got to say it’s been a struggle for me doing all the travelling.
“I’ve got to admit my performances in training and in matches have been up and down because the travelling and upset has taken its toll.”

Pulis, as usual, will be not bounced into making a quick decision on his replacement and will wait until until the right player can be found: ‘Of course we’d have preferred someone in right away, but I think we have already proved we’ve got to be patient to get the right players in.

Adding, ‘We can’t be rushed into deals which will not improve the team and set the club back. We are taking a long-term, not short-term, view on this.’

Certainly, the management’s judgement in this area can hardly be faulted this season with some good players brought in either permanently or on loan. Pericard, Fuller and Higginbotham have all added depth to the squad, whilst loanees Griffin, Diao and, most notably, Hendrie have all done well. Fans will be looking forward to the January transfer window to see if the Potters can now bring in some real quality on a permanent basis. Whilst Hendrie continues to be seen as out of our reach, both Griffin and Diao may be interested in permanent moves.