Stoke City close on Houston Dynamos' Geoff Cameron
STOKE City are moving closer to signing Houston Dynamo defender Geoff Cameron following the departure of Jonathan Woodgate.
Free agent Woodgate was offered a new one-year deal by Stoke at the end of last season, but has instead joined his home-town club Middlesbrough on a three-year contract following a successful medical at the Riverside Stadium yesterday.
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CASE FOR THE DEFENCE: Stoke City are closing in on the signing of defender Geoff Cameron from Houston Dynamo.
City are keen on the 26-year-old Cameron who can play in central defence or central midfield.
They are in talks with Dynamo about the player, who has five caps for the United States national side.
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But City must ultimately agree the transfer with the MLS because, under the American system, the league holds a player's registration rather than individual clubs.
Cameron is widely rated as one of the best defenders in the MLS, but figures released by the league show he earns an annual basic salary of £148,603, or just £2,857 per week.
That suggests personal terms should not be a problem for Stoke as the club tries to rein in some of its spending of recent years.
The Potters are determined to generate more of their own transfer budget this season having committed £20m to the treble-capture of Peter Crouch, Wilson Palacios and Cameron Jerome last August.
Woodgate leaves the Britannia Stadium after finishing last season as the club's fourth-choice central defender, behind Ryan Shawcross, Robert Huth and former England man Matthew Upson.
He forced himself into contention at the start of the campaign, having joined on a pay-as-you play deal after being released by Stoke's Premier League rivals Tottenham.
Woodgate made 15 appearances for City up to the turn of the year, but added just six more games during 2012, the last of which was in the 1-0 Europa League defeat in Valencia on February 23.
The 32-year-old's exit also means Upson is more likely to see out the remaining year of his contract at the Britannia Stadium.
His future hasn't been settled yet, but the Potters are reluctant to lose both experienced England defenders as they plan for the new season.
Upson who made 12 appearances for City last season, is believed to be interesting newly-promoted Southampton.
But the 33-year-old acquitted himself well at the Britannia Stadium after he was snapped up on a free transfer from West Ham last summer.
Meanwhile, Stoke are monitoring Matthew Jarvis, but reports they have tabled a bid for the Wolves winger are wide of the mark.
City need competition for Jermaine Pennant and Matthew Etherington, but Wolves have put a prohibitive £10m price tag onformer Gillingham man Jarvis.
The Molineux club believe they are in a strong position because the 26-year-old is under contract for another three years.
The Potters are believed to have expressed a tentative interest in Jarvis's team-mate, Scotland frontman Steven Fletcher, but won't be encouraged by Wolves's £10m valuation.
Comments
by Davejjohnson
Tuesday, July 10 2012, 5:48PM
“Nice one Owd Potter.”
by wheatear
Tuesday, July 10 2012, 11:13AM
“Owd Potter don't rush for the coat - very good
As was said on the Preston front:
'Made me laugh'”
by Owd_Potter
Tuesday, July 10 2012, 11:01AM
“Hmmm,
"strike it rich with Begovic"...it's a 'how to' for prospectors,
or perhaps,
"Below the weir with Asmir"...it's a fishing show...
No?,
I'll get me coat”
by wheatear
Tuesday, July 10 2012, 9:51AM
“So you responded, good now then soccerfoot lets look at what you said!
So we have a disease just because people respond when they believe what is said is rubbish, if you read what others said you would realise if anybody has a problem it is you - you write comments we describe as rubbish because they do not make sense, as I and everybody else who commented confirmed. Again so you understand, the majority decision is that it is YOU that has a problem.
I do not give my opinion very often, have not done on this occasion, except about what you wrote and have NEVER said I know more than anybody else.
I see nothing to laugh about in asking you to respond, that is what I do and others, nothing funny there!
I am, 57 and run a very successful Company. Basically your comment about educated people does not warrant a response. It is just an attempt at an insult. Unfortunately for you the people your are speaking with ARE educated and see through such cheap tactics.
For somebody who makes big play about the arrows and how you are capable of manipulating them to complain on one hand and celebrate them on the other just confirms you are clutching at straws. If you do not like the arrows complain to the site, as I have done!!
In commenting about the arrows you prove yourself as being immature by taking note of them -the very action why you call us immature. Again you should read what you have written before you post.
As for the laughter if you wrote haha 100 times it proves nothing, except a lack of real comment.
Will you learn? I know the answer will be no, but carry on, I am quite happy to play the game!”
by Davejjohnson
Tuesday, July 10 2012, 8:26AM
“Be interesting to see whose Mrs would turn up if John Terry did "Mr and Mrs". Any justice and it would be Ryan Gigg's Mrs.”
by Davejjohnson
Tuesday, July 10 2012, 8:19AM
“Here is a list of people who I am pretty sure think you write garbage Soccerknob, my apologies to those I've missed but feel free to put yourselves forward. Me, Mr Dap, Wheater, Haleswalles, Si, Deadly, Mrs Deadly, Jayenne, DJ, Liam, Pottedrengen. So Knob I quote you "I can mention the names of all you clowns on one hand". Si it's true, the hills have eyes.”
by MrDAP
Monday, July 09 2012, 10:42PM
“DJ:
Nah, John Terry would be a great host for 'Footballer's Wives'...”
by MrDAP
Monday, July 09 2012, 10:41PM
“I'd see a shrink if I were you Knob. You need many years of therapy. Many, many years of therapy.”
by soccerfoot11
Monday, July 09 2012, 10:12PM
“wheater as i said you have the same disease as the handful of others on here, you see and know know nothing but claim you know all !! some of the comments and questions you lot ask me, they are just laughable. please tell me you are all under the age of 16, because no intelligent, mature, educated adult would dare say such things ! its funny how johnson claims that loads of people come on here and tell me my opinion is garbage. I can mention the names of all you clowns on one hand !! those that just dont get anything ! honestly, you all give yourselves green arrows and me red arrows. Honestly, how immature can you really be ?? you will be saying something even more immature next like, oh i dont know "what a knob"?
hahahahahahahahaha”
by DJ_Stoke
Monday, July 09 2012, 10:06PM
“"What's my Fine" with Jermaine Pennant -- Brilliant !
I couldn't think of one for Begovic... All I came up with was:
"While You Were Out" with John Terry”