Leicester City could perform a controversial move in January by recalling Tom Cannon from his loan spell at Stoke City just to sell the striker off for cash. 

The 21-year-old has been an important player for the Potters this season playing five Championship games and scoring four goals – all of which came in the one match against Portsmouth.

There is no place for Cannon at his parent club at present as Jamie Vardy is taking up the majority of the minutes in the striker role. The former Everton star could become the Leicester legend’s successor, however, the Foxes are thinking short-term and plan to sell the Stoke City star in January.

Several Championship clubs are interested in Cannon and according to pundit Carlton Palmer, the striker would like to join Sheffield United or West Bromwich Albion as both sides are among the best in the Championship and have a good chance of returning to the Premier League next season.

Speaking to Football League World, the pundit said: “Tom Cannon, who has scored four goals in five matches, has a recall clause in his contract from [Leicester] in January. It is worrying [for Stoke]… The Foxes are keen to cash in on the Irish forward.

When naming clubs that the striker could join, Palmer continued by saying: “And, obviously… West Bromwich Albion, or Sheffield United… Of course, you’re going to want to go to those clubs to be in the Premier League next season.”

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Leicester City want £10m for Tom Cannon

According to FLW, Leicester wanted £10m to part ways with Cannon during the summer and that price looks set to remain.

That fee will be a big help to the Foxes as they will want to strengthen in January to give themselves a chance of remaining in the Premier League but this sale can be viewed as controversial.

Even though there is a break clause in Cannon’s  Stoke contract, not many clubs have activated them in the past. Recalling the striker just to sell him seems like a pretty low move but on the other hand, Leicester need to do what they can to remain in England’s top flight.

The post Leicester City to controversially recall £10m man in January just to sell him off appeared first on CaughtOffside.

The draw for the fourth round of the Carabao Cup took place on Wednesday night, with each of the Premier League’s so-called ‘big six’ still going strong. 

Manchester United ran out comfortable 7-0 winners over League One Barnsley last week, while Tottenham Hotspur came from a goal down to snatch a 2-1 win away at Coventry City.

And this week, Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool made their way past Barrow, Watford, Bolton and West Ham, respectively.

There is one more game still to play, with Newcastle’s tie with Wimbledon re-arranged to Tuesday night at St. James’ Park after Plough Lane was flooded due to a sinkhole.

But the draw has been made, with just three rounds to go before the final at Wembley.

Carabao Cup Round Four draw

Brentford vs Sheffield Wednesday

Southampton vs Stoke City

Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City

AFC Wimbledon/Newcastle United vs Chelsea

Manchester United vs Leicester City

Brighton and Hove Albion vs Liverpool

Preston North End vs Arsenal

Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace

Top photo by George Wood/Getty Images

The post Carabao Cup R4 draw: Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool & Spurs’ next opponents appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Stoke City have parted ways with manager Steven Schumacher just five games into the new season.

The club announced that former captain and legend Ryan Shawcross will take over on a caretaker basis, alongside Alex Morris, while the search for a permanent successor begins.

The decision to remove Schumacher was made public by Stoke’s Sporting Director, Jonathan Walters, who issued a statement outlining the club’s rationale via (Stoke City’s official website):

“My role as Sporting Director is to make tough decisions that serve the long-term interests of Stoke City.”

“After ongoing discussions with John Coates, we feel the time is right for a change in direction to bring success to the club.”

‘We have a young, dynamic squad that is eager to develop and a clear vision of how to achieve success, and we hope to announce a new appointment shortly. We will need the fans, staff, and players united in support to achieve our goals.”

“As always in football, these decisions are difficult, and we wish Steven and his staff all the best for the future.”

Stoke have wasted no time in identifying potential candidates for the long-term role. According to Daily Mail, the club has been granted permission to speak to Norwich City’s first-team coach Narcis Pelach regarding the vacancy.

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Shawcross returns to lead as caretaker

Ryan Shawcross, a club icon, will step in to manage Stoke City temporarily. Shawcross enjoyed a stellar playing career with Stoke, having joined from Manchester United in 2007.

His presence in defence helped Stoke secure promotion to the Premier League in his debut season, and he quickly became the cornerstone of the team’s success under Tony Pulis.

He was known for his commanding leadership, physicality, and no-nonsense style of defending, which endeared him to the Stoke faithful.

Over the years, he made over 400 appearances for the Potters and was integral to their run to the 2011 FA Cup final, which led to a Europa League campaign the following season.

Stoke fans will undoubtedly rally behind Shawcross as he takes the reins, while the club works to secure a new long-term appointment.

His leadership on the field made him a fan favorite, and supporters will hope that his passion for the club translates into success as he steps into the managerial role.

With the club looking to steer their season back on course, Stoke will be hoping for a swift and decisive appointment to help guide their young squad toward a brighter future.

The post English club fires manager early in the season after poor start appeared first on CaughtOffside.

The draw for the second round of the Carabao Cup has been made, with the likes of Newcastle United, West Ham United and Everton learning their fate.

After round one saw Championship, League One and League Two sides kick things off, we’ve reached the stage where the Premier League clubs not competing in European competition enter the tournament.

All-Premier League ties of Nottingham Forest vs Newcastle and West Ham vs Bournemouth are among the most eye-catching, while there are also some local derbies like Millwall vs Leyton Orient, Barnsley vs Sheffield United and Blackburn vs Blackpool.

Read on for the full Carabao Cup round two draw, with all ties to be played the week commencing August 26.

Carabao Cup draw

Northern section

Grimsby vs Sheffield Wednesday

Everton vs Doncaster

Blackburn vs Blackpool

Fleetwood vs Rotherham

Shrewsbury vs Bolton

Nottingham Forest vs Newcastle

Barrow vs Derby

Leicester vs Tranmere

Middlesbrough vs Stoke

Barnsley vs Sheffield United

Harrogate vs Preston

Walsall vs Huddersfield

Wolves vs Burnley

Southern section

Coventry vs Oxford United

Swansea vs Wycombe

AFC Wimbledon vs Ipswich

Birmingham vs Fulham

Watford vs Plymouth

West Ham vs Bournemouth

QPR vs Luton

Brighton vs Crawley

Crystal Palace vs Norwich

Cardiff vs Southampton

Millwall vs Leyton Orient

Colchester vs Brentford

The post Carabao Cup R2 draw: Newcastle, West Ham, Everton and other Premier League clubs learn their fate appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Leeds United are preparing a bid for Stoke City winger Million Manhoef as they identify possible alternatives to Norwich City’s Jonathan Rowe, according to reports.

The Whites’ failure to secure promotion straight back to the Premier League last season has led to them losing a number of key players, with Crysencio Summerville, Archie Gray, Glen Kamara and Luis Sinisterra all leaving for substantial fees, while Wilfried Gnonto continues to be linked with a move away.

Naturally, this has left Leeds in dire need of reinforcements. It was thought the Yorkshire side had Norwich star Rowe top of their wishlist after the England U21 international posted 13 goals and four assists in 38 appearances across all competitions last season.

However, according to TEAMtalk, the Canaries have slapped a £15m price tag on Rowe, which has put off fellow suitors Marseille, while his reported refusal to play against Oxford United on the opening weekend of the Championship season may have left Daniel Farke having doubts.

TEAMtalk reports that Leeds are now turning their attention to Manhoef.

The former Netherlands youth international only joined Stoke from Vitesse in the previous transfer window but made an immediate impact for the club, with four goals and an assist in 14 Championship appearances.

Leeds are thought to be among a trio of Championship clubs — the others unnamed — who could move for Manhoef, who could command a £10m transfer fee with Stoke very reluctant to sell.

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Leicester City defender Harry Souttar seems to be heading for the exit door at the King Power after being left out of the squad for Friday’s pre-season friendly against Palermo.

It’s been a turbulent summer for the Foxes after winning the Championship title last season, and they have lost both manager Enzo Maresca and star player Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to Chelsea.

The club have subsequently appointed former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper as their new manager and have made some additions to the squad to ensure they have the best chance of survival.

Souttar set to leave Leicester

The Foxes have signed the likes of Caleb Okoli, Michael Golding and Bobby De Cordova-Reid, whilst winger Issahaku Fatawu has made his loan move from Sporting Lisbon permanent.

However, a number of players are also set to leave the King Power, and one of those is Australian international Souttar.

The defender was left out of the squad for the pre-season friendly against Palermo despite being involved in the first two games against Villarreal and Shrewsbury.

It’s been reported that the 25-year-old could be set to leave the club on loan, and a number of Championship clubs are said to be interested with Sheffield United and Souttar’s former club Stoke said to be leading the race.

The Australian joined Leicester from Stoke in January 2023 for £15m and made 12 appearances in the Premier League, but couldn’t help the club avoid relegation under Brendan Rodgers.

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Souttar wasn’t in favour under Maresca last season and made just four appearances in all  competitions under the Italian.

Despite the arrival of a new manager it would appear that Souttar’s future at least temporarily lies away from the King Power, and he will have likely dropped further down the pecking order following the arrival of Okoli.

The post Leicester ace appears to be heading for exit door after being left out of squad for pre-season game appeared first on CaughtOffside.

According to Football Insider, Stoke City are set to complete the signing of Norwich defender Ben Gibson.

As part of Ben Knapper’s ongoing effort to reduce the wage bill and bring down the average age of the team, the 31-year-old was one of five first-team players released by the Canaries at the conclusion of their contracts.

He is available as a free agent and Stoke have wasted no time in agreeing a deal for his signature.

Although Gibson has been linked to a return to his hometown team, Middlesbrough, he is likely to be in great demand this summer.

However, it appears that Stoke will beat out a number of teams to sign the experienced defender.

Following the signing of goalkeeper Viktor Johansson from Rotherham on a three-year deal, Gibson will be Stoke’s second summer addition.

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After flirting with relegation last season, Steven Schumacher’s team have identified the former Norwich man as their target to help improve the team.

Luke McNally, who finished the season on loan from Burnley after making 38 appearances, and Ciaran Clark, 34, who started three games under Alex Neil amid an injury crisis, were the two center halves that Schumacher lost from his 2023–24 side.

Stoke City are singing a seasoned player

Including his loan period, Gibson played for Norwich for four years.

During that time, he made 124 appearances for the team and in his debut season, aided in their promotion to the Premier League.

Stoke City are getting an experienced defender who could help make their defensive unit organised and disciplined.

The post Stoke City edge closer to the signing of Championship defender appeared first on CaughtOffside.

As has been the case over the past few transfer windows, when a young, talented player appears to become available for transfer, Chelsea position themselves at the front of the queue.

There’s been no expense spared since Todd Boehly took over at Stamford Bridge, though things probably haven’t worked out in quite the way that he’d hoped.

Putting together a squad takes time, particularly when there have been so many comings and goings.

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Frankly, it’s no wonder that Graham Potter, Frank Lampard and Mauricio Pochettino had all struggled to get a tune out of their Chelsea teams.

At the point when the Argentinian was finally getting somewhere, Boehly opened the exit door for him.

In any event, whilst the club continue scouring the market for a new managerial incumbent, they also appear to be wanting to pad out the squad.

Chelsea want Stoke sensation Souleymane Sidibe

According to FootMercato, Chelsea are leading the chase for Stoke City’s exciting 17-year-old Souleymane Sidibe.

The outlet also note the interest of Juventus, Rangers, Brighton and Monaco in a player that is the first born in 2007 to represent a club in either of English football’s top two divisions.

Souleymane Sidibe jusqu'à présent cette saison ???

? 10G/A en 16 Matchs
? 7 apparitions avec l'équipe première
? 4ème meilleur passeurs de la PL 2
? Première titularisation avec l'équipe première en coupe EFL
? Début en FA Cup contre Brighton pic.twitter.com/4YItquDj03

— profutur stars (@Profuturstars) March 29, 2024

He qualifies for both Senegal and Mali due to his heritage but has been called up for the England U18 squad, and it appears that his star will continue to rise.

What isn’t clear at this stage is how much the Championship side would expect in terms of a transfer fee for the player, if indeed they’re willing to let him go.

Whatever amount is arrived at, it’s unlikely to be a problem for Boehly, who has shown in previous transfer window transactions that he will do whatever it takes to get his man.

As has also been since since the American has been in charge, each and every player is a pawn in his game, and a long career in West London won’t necessarily be what Sidibe is signing up for if he decides to move.

The post Chelsea head clutch of clubs that want Stoke’s 17-year-old international sensation appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Former Stoke City defender Peter Handyside has sadly passed away at the age of just 49, it has been announced.

The former Scotland Under-21 international also played for Grimsby Town and Barnsley in his playing career, but is perhaps most well remembered for his role in helping Stoke City from promotion to the Championship, then called the First Division in 2002.

A club statement read: “Stoke City is saddened to learn of the death of former club captain Peter Handyside. Peter was a promotion winner with the Potters in 2002 before also helping preserve Championship status the following season.

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“He featured on 88 occasions in red and white. The thoughts and condolences of everyone connected with the Club are with Peter’s family and friends at this difficult time.”

Stoke wore black armbands and held a minute’s silence in Handyside’s memory for yesterday’s game, while his other clubs such as Grimsby also paid tribute to the player.

The post Former Stoke and Scotland player dies at the age of just 49 appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Sunderland’s Alex Pritchard made headlines by refusing to play for the club against Stoke City earlier today.

Despite the Black Cats leading 1-0 at half-time, courtesy of Mason Burstow’s goal, Pritchard’s decision to refuse playing time was unexpected and prompted the club to issue a statement.

In an official announcement on their website (as reported by The Sun), Sunderland disclosed that the versatile midfielder informed the club on Friday morning that he was no longer available for selection.

Additionally, he withdrew from the matchday squad, expressing his immediate desire to leave the club.

The statement emphasised that Sunderland would refrain from providing further comments at the current juncture.

Sunderland announced on their official website (via The Sun):

“On Friday morning, Alex Pritchard informed the Club that he was no longer available for selection and he subsequently withdrew from today’s matchday squad.”

“The midfielder also expressed his desire to leave SAFC with immediate effect.”

“The Club will be making no further comment at this moment in time.”

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Pritchard, a Tottenham Hotspur academy graduate, had expressed a desire to leave Sunderland during the summer transfer window but faced challenges in finding a suitable move.

According to his agent, there is now interest from Birmingham and Turkish clubs and it looks like the versatile midfielder seems to be pushing for a move.

With 115 appearances for Sunderland, Pritchard has contributed 9 goals and 25 assists during his tenure. His career has also seen stints with English clubs Brentford, Norwich City, and Huddersfield Town. While Sunderland fans may be displeased with the player’s actions, it appears that Pritchard is actively seeking a transfer.

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