Stoke City: Manchester City eye Asmir Begovic
STOKE City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic is attracting serious interest from Premier League champions Manchester City.
The Sentinel understands that their hierarchy see Begovic as providing viable competition for their England goalkeeper Joe Hart.
-
WANTED MAN: Asmir Begovic.
Any move is likely to come in the summer, at the earliest, after Stoke boss Tony Pulis ruled out selling any of his top players in January.
But City's interest can only bump up Begovic's asking price and make it increasingly difficult for Stoke to reject any offer.
Thinking of changing your job or looking to change career.
Contact BlueSky CVs and get a CV to get your noticed.
Terms: 1 CV per customer full payment prior to commencement of CV
Contact: 01538 710408
Valid until: Monday, May 27 2013
Begovic, who joined three years ago for just over £3m from Portsmouth, has risen to prominence after establishing himself as Stoke's number one nearly 12 months ago.
Whether the 25-year-old Bosnian could oust Hart at The Etihad, however, is a consideration that could deter him from making that move.
That, realistically, only leaves a handful of more attractive and wealthier clubs likely to be interested in his services.
They could include Manchester United and that could trigger a tug-of-war between the two clubs as early as the next close season.
Begovic's exit would also leave boss Tony Pulis with the problem of finding a ready-made replacement as age threatens to rule out 36-year-old Thomas Sorensen as the club's long-term number one.
Stoke and Man City meet in the FA Cup on Saturday, but Begovic is unlikely to feature after Sorensen played in the last round of the competition against Crystal Palace.
Meanwhile, Stoke's hopes of signing American international Brek Shea have hit a major snag that could scupper the deal in this transfer window.
Stoke and FC Dallas had made good progress on agreeing a fee – thought to be in the region of £2m should the deal go ahead.
But the fee also has to be ratified by Major League Soccer under American rules and that is threatening to put a spanner in the works.
The MLS is inclined to put a greater value on Shea because he is 22 and full of potential.
Stoke will be wary of his fitness record in recent times, however, including a recent operation to remove a bone from his right foot.
Pulis had been keen to see Shea in action during a week's training at the club before deciding whether to take the plunge, but the player was not at Clayton Wood yesterday.
Pulis remains interested in the American market and so Shea, along with other possible new signings, could be making the trip over the Atlantic in the summer to join compatriot Geoff Cameron at the Britannia.
Michael Owen, fresh from his first goal for the club at Swansea on Saturday, was expected to feature in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Derby County today.
Stoke fans are reminded that tickets for Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round tie at home to Manchester City (12.45pm) go on general sale from today priced £20 for adults, £10 for over-65s and £5 for under-17s.
Man City have sold their allocation of just under 4,500.
GLENN Whelan and Jon Walters are in the Ireland squad for their friendly against Poland in Dublin on February 6.
44 Comments
View all
by defjamrcs
Thursday, January 24 2013, 11:43AM
“Pottertool - I doubt veryu much that you have ever had any friends - but if you ever did conjure one up in your head no doubt he would be, as you put it, Bent”
by Pottedrengen
Wednesday, January 23 2013, 11:39PM
“I didnt call any names and I made no immature comments, so I can hardly stop them, can I?”
by Pottersruleok
Wednesday, January 23 2013, 10:49PM
“Pottedrengen, I had a Danish friend once, his name was Bent, but let me tell you he was a much more distinguished, friendly and a genuinely nice person than you ever will be.The childish name calling and immature comments you join in with your few friends on here do nothing but show us all that you aren't capable.”
by Pottedrengen
Wednesday, January 23 2013, 10:19PM
“Rulesok, you can stop at this instance to call me your friend, I personally echo the statement made by Liam that hopes you may *** and ****. And you can stop all your lies, no one believes you anyway.”
by Pottedrengen
Wednesday, January 23 2013, 10:12PM
“Stonedmel, no I havent considered that Shawcross, shortly after breaking into the England squad, decides that he will never make it on a big stage.
I repeat, why dont you show a little respect for yourself.”
by Stars-stripes
Wednesday, January 23 2013, 8:25PM
“Excellent and informative posts pottedrengen”
by stonemel
Wednesday, January 23 2013, 5:22PM
“POTTEDRENGAN have you ever considered that the players who have signed the long term contracts have done it because it offers security long term after firmly coming to the conclusion that none of the bigger clubs are going to come in for them?”
by defjamrcs
Wednesday, January 23 2013, 4:59PM
“Pottersrule - you need help
Are you going to revert to using one of your accounts to compliment one of your own posts again like you have done.
You, really, need, help. everyone knows who you are and you live in the States and you know nothing”
by Latthink
Wednesday, January 23 2013, 4:27PM
“OK, So City get £15m for Bego? What wil they then spend it on, another useless end of his career so called striker or a similar calibre defender or midfielder?
It doesn't matter who they are as the great City management team will soon reduce them to their ways of total negativity, dismal performances and almost everyone playing in someone elses position!”
by Pottersruleok
Wednesday, January 23 2013, 4:09PM
“Well my danish friend, I didn't realize you were all knowing. Since I have only missed a handful of home games in the last 30+ years and you say you go infrequently, I think I can say who I think plays well for Stoke City and who doesn't and how good or bad a job I think the manager does. However,unlike some on here, I don't launch into personal attacks on fellow supporters or claim to be some "superior supporter" than anybody else. I just go, watch and form my own open minded opinion”