Stoke Linked With Numerous Players As Deadline Approaches – Targets Lowdown *Updated*

  With less than 36 hours until the end of the current transfer window, Tony Pulis will doubtless be looking to add several new faces, and maybe the odd familiar one, to his squad. Many players in various positions have been linked with a move to Stoke in the press this morning, so a lowdown on them seems appropriate.

 JERMAINE PENNANT   

Age: 25   

Position: Winger   

Current Club: Liverpool   

Former Clubs: Notts County, Arsenal, Watford, Leeds, Birmingham.

Nationality: English

Stoke are reported to have bid £4 million for the player. New development: Benitez has told Pennant either to join Stoke or rot in the Liverpool reserves for a season, but his wage demands could prove a stumbling block. Blackburn, the main competetitors other than Stoke have dropped their interest.

                     

 

JOE LEDLEY   

Age: 21

Position: Winger/Central Midfielder

Current Club: Cardiff

Former Clubs: None

Nationality: Welsh

Caps: 22-One goal    

Stoke are reported to have bid £5 million. Cardiff recently turned down a bid from an unnamed Premier League club. New  development: Cardiff say they will not let any players go on transfer deadline day, but Pulis is still hopeful that a deal can be completed. A £5 million bid has definitely been tabled, meeting Cardiff’s valuation of Ledley. The bid is currently being considered. Cardiff have announced that Ledley is not for sale. This one looks pretty much like a no go though a cash plus player bid is being touted as possible, with either Glenn Whelan or Ryan Shawcross going in the other direction. Stoke have now made a new bid of £6 million.

                             

 

DANNY HIGGINBOTHAM

Age: 29

Position: Centre Back/Left Back

Current Club: Sunderland

Former Clubs: Manchester United, Royal Antwerp, Derby, Southampton, Stoke

Nationality: English

Stoke have reportedly bid £1.75 million for the player who they sold to Sunderland for £2.5 million last year. New development: The deal is reportedly close to coming to fruition, particuarly as Sunderland are closing in on George McCartney from Sunderland in Higginbotham’s position. Stoke and Sunderland have agreed a fee for Higginbotham and he is at The Brit this afternoon discussing personal terms. The deal has now been completed.

         

 

KANGA AKALE

Age: 27

Position: Winger

Current Club: RC Lens

Former Clubs: Stella Club D’Adjame, Sion, FC Zurich, Auxerre, Marseille

Nationality: Ivorian

Caps: 33-three goals

Stoke reportedly want to take Akale on loan. New development: Akale says that Spanish top flight club Recreativo De Huelva are looking like the favourites to sign him, but he is refusing to rule out a move to the Premier League.

    

 

IGOR DE CAMARGO

Age: 25

Position: Forward

Current Club: Standard Liege

Former Clubs: Genk, Heusden-Zolder, FC Brussels

Nationality: Brazalian

Stoke are reported to be interested in taking the player on loan with a view to a permanent move, but Liege are holding out for a permanent transfer immediately, with a fee of around £4 million. New development: Sky Sports News says a deal is getting closer.

   

JONATHAN WALTERS

Age: 24

Position: Forward/Winger

Current Club: Ipswich

Former Clubs: Blackburn, Bolton, Hull, Crewe, Barnsley, Scunthorpe, Wrexham, Chester

Nationality: Irish

Stoke have apparently made a bid of £2 million for the long term target. New development: The figure is now being rumoured to be more like £3 million. Some sources are now reporting the fee could be as much as £5 million.

 

 

JAVIER GARRIDO

Age: 23

Position: Left Back

Current Club: Manchester City

Former Clubs: Real Sociedad

Nationality: Spanish

Garrido has been linked with a season long loan deal to Stoke after the signing of Vincent Kompany by Manchester City pushes him down their pecking order.

        

 

GELSON FERNANDES

Age: 21

Position: Centre Midfielder 

Current Club: Manchester City

Former Clubs: FC Sion

Nationality: Swiss

Caps: 12

A loan deal looks possible for Fernandes

    

 

HAMINU DRAMANI

Age: 22

Position: Winger/Forward/Right Back

Current Club: Lokomotiv Moscow

Former Clubs:  Heart Of Lions, Red Star Belgrade, Genclerbirligi

Nationality: Ghanaian

Caps: 27-three goals

Haminu has agreed terms with Stoke for a loan move, but Lokomotiv Moscow are stalling over whether to let him join Stoke now or at the end of the Russian season in November.

 

 HENRI CAMARA

Age: 31

Position: Forward

Current Club: Wigan

Former Clubs: RC Strasbourg, Neuchatel Xamax, Grasshopper Zurich, Sedan, Wolves, Celtic, Southampton, West Ham

Nationality: Senegalese

Caps: 52-21 goals.

He is Senegalese, so a move looks likely.

 

 

TOM SOARES

Age: 22

Position: Centre Midfield/ Winger

Current Club: Crystal Palace

Former Clubs: None

Nationality: English

Palace are reportedly prepared to let him go for around £2 million to raise funds for other deals. Stoke have apparently registered their interest. A bid of £1.5 million has now been accepted and Soares is on his way to Stoke to discuss personal terms.