Stoke City Considering Loan Move for Crystal Palace Striker After Poor Start to Season
Stoke City are preparing a loan offer for Crystal Palace forward Connor Wickham, after a difficult start to life in the Championship.
It's been a tricky return to England's second tier for Stoke to say the least. A 3-1 thumping against Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United, followed by a scrappy 1-1 draw against Brentford, sees the Potters sit 22nd in the league. This has led to manager Gary Rowett considering a move for Wickham on a season-long loan.
The rumours sprung from a tweet by journalist Alan Nixon and was reported by The Sun, who claim that both Stoke, and fellow Championship club Blackburn Rovers have been ''checking into'' Wickham's availability.
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The 25-year-old Englishman has had an inconsistent career and has plied his trade for another of clubs including Crystal Palace and Leeds, but, regardless of league, he has never scored more than ten goals in a season.
Should Stoke bringing in the big striker, then they will have a wide array of strikers to call upon. New signing Benik Afobe has hit the ground running with two goals in two games, whilst Rowett also has Saido Berahino, Mame Biram Diouf, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Tyrese Campbell and the evergreen Peter Crouch at his disposal. However, the strength and physicality that Wickham possesses is superior to Stoke's other current options, so he could be a useful acquisition if Rowett wishes to utilise the long ball.
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Stoke City still have a few weeks to decide whether they wish to sign Wickham, as the window for loan moves doesn't shut until the August 31.
