Stoke City: Potters and Tottenham look to thrash out Tom Huddlestone loan deal
STOKE City and Tottenham were planning to get their heads together again today to try to revive Tom Huddlestone's move to the Potteries.
City boss Tony Pulis is desperate to add the 25-year-old midfielder to his squad ahead of Friday's 11pm transfer deadline.
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Tom Huddlestone's move to Stoke City could be back on.
Pulis liked what he saw after watching Huddlestone in training at Clayton Wood last week and assumed the loan move would go ahead as planned.
But concerns over Huddlestone's long-running ankle problem were thrown up by a medical to leave Stoke taking a step back from the seven-figure loan fee and wages.
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They now want Spurs to agree to a recall clause should Huddlestone's injury flare up again during his stay.
Huddlestone, pictured below, came through the youth ranks at Derby County, making his debut as a 16-year-old in their 3-0 home defeat to Stoke on the opening day of the 2003/04 season.
He moved to Spurs for £2.5m in 2005 and has made 181 appearances for the club.
Meanwhile, Pulis's slim chances of signing Tottenham defender Michael Dawson appear to have receded even further following news that his move to Premier League rivals QPR is back on.
Pulis is likely to ring the changes for tonight's Capital One Cup tie against Swindon at the Britannia (7.45pm).
Thomas Sorensen, Matthew Upson, Wilson Palacios, Cameron Jerome and Dean Whitehead are among those expected to feature from the start.
But winger Matthew Etherington is still sidelined by the hamstring problem which forced him to miss Sunday's 0-0 draw with Arsenal.
And Danny Higginbotham's availability could be compromised by efforts to find him a move before the end of the week.
Pulis admits that Paolo di Canio's Swindon represent a genuine threat after seeing them follow last season's impressive promotion to League One with a 3-0 first round victory over Brighton.
"It's a banana skin in lots of respects," he warned.
"I watched Swindon a couple of times last year and watched them play Brighton in the last round – and they are clearly a good team.
"He (di Canio) was a great player and is doing well as a manager, too, and I'm sure he will end up in the Premier League one day.
"They are very well organised. For all his attacking flair as a player, the shape of their team and the way they worked was impressive.
"It looks like he's brought a bit of that Italian steel defensively as well."
STOKE'S under-18s made it two wins out of two after goals from Derice Richards and Ryan O'Reilly gave them a 2-1 home win over Aston Villa.
Comments
by Latthink
Tuesday, August 28 2012, 5:34PM
“Perhaps Pulis is telling Spurs that Tommy is "soiled goods" and therefore City should get a reduction or discount on the already agreed price. Fagin?”
by wheatear
Tuesday, August 28 2012, 2:26PM
“Brilliant news hope it sorts itself out we need his quality”
by chizmarkthree
Tuesday, August 28 2012, 12:01PM
“i'm sure he'd be a great signing.Just think,a midfield player who can tackle,pass and shoot!”
by Newcastle_Ram
Tuesday, August 28 2012, 10:13AM
“As a Derby fan living in Stoke, i can say hand on heart that Tom is one of he best young centre midfielders in the country. Coming up through our youth ranks, he was always destined for top flight football. Just such a shame we sold him for the pitance that we did. If he can stay injury free, he will be one of the best aquisitions Stoke have made in recent years.”