According to reports, Stoke City and Birmingham City have entered the summer transfer window for Fulham striker Jay Stansfield.
The Potters have reportedly started talks with the Premier League team over its attacking talent, according to the most recent update on the Stansfield transfer speculation from Football Insider over the weekend.
According to The Telegraph, The Blues and their former loanee are continuing in talks over the player’s return to St. Andrew’s. The Midlands team is reportedly mulling a £6 million bid for the Exeter City player.
However, the allure of Championship football at the bet365 Stadium can convince the player to relocate to the Potteries.
With nine goals in 36 league games for his hometown team Exeter in the 22–23 season and 12 goals in 43 games for Birmingham the previous season, Stansfield has shown promise throughout his two recent loan stints in the Football League.
Though he was unable to assist City overcome the drop earlier in the year, the forward’s quick thinking and superb movement in the final third continued to capture people’s attention while he remained at St Andrew’s.
Sam Gallagher, a former Blackburn Rover, joined Stoke this summer, expanding their options for forward play. Steven Schumacher now has two central attackers on the roster in addition to Gallagher and Niall Ennis.
In the Potters’ season-opening match against Coventry City, teenage sensation Emre Tezgel was selected. He played well up top before Ennis replaced him on the hour.
But in terms of attacking alternatives, Stansfield’s signing might be the cherry on top for City. Sam Harrison, a resident of Football League World and a Stoke City supporter, is thrilled with the news from the team and thinks he would fit right in with the team at the bet365 Stadium.
The rumored £6 million that Fulham is holding out for may have a significant impact on Stansfield’s final football destination for the upcoming season, as well as the likelihood that the move will be permanent.
Although he appears to be a player who can score goals, that valuation is quite the spend for a team in the Championship, or League One in Birmingham City’s case, so any interested parties will have to consider carefully whether he is worth that investment.
In light of this, a loan agreement could be Stoke’s best bet right now, albeit they might be compelled to do so if the Blues insist on having him return to the Midlands this summer.
