Stoke Beat Deadline To Sign Tonge

  Stoke beat the transfer deadline to make their tenth signing of the summer in Sheffield United’s midfield player Michael Tonge. The deal, which was carried out completely in the last hour of the transfer window sees the 25 year old joining the Potters on a four year contract for a fee of £2 million.

  The six foot Mancunian, who is primarily a centre midfielder but can play anywhere across the middle, and played successfully many times in Stoke’s problem left midfield role for Sheffield United, was Stoke’s third signing of deadline day, following the return of former captain Danny Higginbotham and the capture of midfielder Tom Soares from Crystal Palace.

  Tonge joined Sheffiled United’s academy after being released from Manchester United at the age of sixteen. He signed his first professional contact at the club in 2000 and made two first team appearances during the 2001/02 season. His breakthrough came the next season, in which he played 32 times for the Blades, scoring three goals. In total he has played 301 times for the Sheffield club, including 27 appearances in the Premier League two seasons ago. He has scored 24 times for the club in total.

                                         

  Tony Pulis last night announced that he was delighted at the signing, saying,

  ”I have been a long term admirer of him and he will bring a lot to our squad.” He went on to say, ”He can play a number of positions, which is important and he will add some balance to the squad.”

  I see the Tonge signing in a similar way as the Soares signing, he’s not the glamourous signing that we’d all been hoping for, but he is a good player and one who has proven he can play at Premier League level and a good solid addition to our squad and yet more healthy competition for a midfield spot, as well as adding the ability to play the left midfield role.

  It will be interesting to see the team that Pulis plays in coming weeks , particularly in defence and midfield, because we now have an abundance of good players all vying for a place, which is pleasing for a club with a squad that looked rather bear a few months ago.