CITY CLOSE IN ON DEFENDER AS NATHAN SET TO HEAD OUT
Tottenham teenager on Potters’ radar as striker Lowe looks set to move to Walsall on loan deal
STOKE City are believed to be working on a deal to sign England youth defender Ashley Phillips on loan from Tottenham.
Phillips, aged 19, came through the ranks at Blackburn Rovers but joined Spurs last summer for about £2 million and spent the second-half of last season on loan at Plymouth Argyle, right, after Steven Schumacher had left Home Park to take charge at Stoke.
He earned impressive reviews in the Championship and Stoke could get a deal done in time for him to be involved against West Bromwich Albion tomorrow (3pm).
Steven Schumacher currently has captain Ben Gibson and Ben Wilmot as his first choice centre-halves while Michael Rose is hoping to be back fit from an ankle injury next month. Jaden Dixon and Freddie Anderson, both aged 17, have made their first team debuts this season.
Schumacher remained relatively coy about anything imminent when he was asked about transfers at his pre-west Brom press conference, saying: “I’m not sure if we’ll get anything done before Saturday but (our transfer work) will go into the final week, yes.
“We’ve still got a bit of business to do both ins and outs The sooner it’s done, for me, the better, but like all these things seem to do they will go down to the wire. By 11pm on Friday night I hope I’ll be in bed ahead of the Plymouth game!”
He added: “There’s nothing to report today but I’m sure there will be some ins and outs over the next eight days. I can’t wait for it to shut and hopefully we get the players who will do the business we need to do before it does and we can concentrate solely on the footy.”
There will be exits but Schumacher will have no problem selecting players in his squad this weekend even if they know it might be for the final time.
He said: “Players are professional. We explain to everyone that while they’re here, get on with it and give 100 per cent in training and be prepared to play. That’s what players have done from Day One.
“As everyone knows, in football things change quickly and we need to be adaptable as well. “If we can bring a new player in who comes into the team straight away then so be it and if we don’t manage that and someone needs a couple of weeks to get to grips with what we’re doing that’ll be the case with that too. We’re quite relaxed either way.”
Nathan Lowe is heading to Walsall on loan. The 18-year-old England youth striker has been in demand this summer - as he was in January when Stoke opted to keep him in house - and is believed to have had half-a-dozen suitors from whom to select a place to play this season.
Stoke have been biding their time as they pursue a striker to bring in themselves but they are now prepared to sign off on a deal which should be done in time for Lowe to be involved for his new club this weekend.
Schumacher said: “Nathan isn’t too far away from being agreed. It’s one of those with Nath.
“I feel as though it’s the best thing for him to go and get some game time. I kept him in last January when there was loads of opportunities for him to go out on loan but I didn’t because we needed centre-forwards in the squad. But I don’t want to keep him in for any longer than necessary if his game time is going to be limited here.
“For his development he needs to go and play and I don’t think that’s too far away from being completed.
“When it does get completed, I’ll wish him all the best because he’s a great kid and I’m so desperate for him to go and do well. Hopefully he does.”
Centre-half Luke Badley-morgan, aged 20, is joining Airdrie on loan in the Scottish Championship.