UPDATE: Stoke City added to the list

Stoke City: Maynor Figueroa, Javier Pinola, Paul Scharner, Jermaine Jenas, Gary O’Neil, Jermaine Pennant, Kevin Prince Boateng, Victor Obinna, Carlton Cole, and Roman Pavlyuchenko

July 29th, 2010 Simon Rice at The Independent has written many articles that talk about potential targets for the following clubs:

Birmingham: Paul Konchesky, Nathaniel Clyne, Juan Roman Riquelme, Ryan Babel, Aiden McGeady, Charles N’Zogbia, Tom Cleverley, Moussa Dembele, Bobby Zamora, Robbie Keane, and Katlego Mphela

Bolton Wanderers: Lee Naylor, Alan Hutton, Jack Wilshere, Tom Cleverley, Juan Roman Riquelme, Karim Matmour, Franco Di Santo, Rodrigo Moreno, Araujo Ilan, and James Beattie

Sunderland: Chris Kirkland, Nedum Onuoha, Alan Hutton, Tuncay Sanli, Jamie O’Hara, Chris Eagles, Stephen Ireland, John Utaka, Danny Welbeck, Nelson Valdez

West Bromwich: Marton Fulop, Calum Davenport, Phil Bardsley, Jimmy Bullard, George Boateng, Jason Koumas, Rob Hulse, James Beattie, Mohammed Tchite, and Jason Roberts

West Ham United: Francois Clerc, Nicky Shorey, Jamie O’Hara, Kevin Prince Boateng, Steve Sidwell, Jermaine Pennant, Neymar, Yakubu, Loic Remy, Diego Tardelli,

Wigan Athletic: Tyrone Mears, Marcos Ramos, Roberto Canella Martinez, Jermaine Pennant, Darren Pratley Martinez, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Jose Callejon Martinez, Franco Di Santo, Pierre Webo, and Humberto Suazo

Wolverhampton: Andre Bikey, Michael Mancienne, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Aaron Mokoena, Adam Lallana, Benjani Mwaruwari, Jordan Ayew, Tommy Smith, James Beattie, and Robbie Keane

According to Stuart James at The Guardian, Stoke City are interested in signing Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz. Man City originally bought Santa Cruz from Blackburn for £17.5m but now he could cost signifantly less.

However the major issue for Stoke City would be Santa Cruz’s wages as he is currently making around £90,000-a-week.

According to Stoke City’s official website, Stoke City winger Matthew Etherington has signed a new four-year deal with the club.

According to Alan Nixon and Tom Hopkinson at The People, Stoke City are preparing to make an £8million bid for West Ham United striker Carlton Cole.

However it is reported that Stoke boss Tony Pulis would like to find out more about Cole’s health before making a bid.

According to the Daily Star Sunday, West Bromwich boss Roberto Di Matteo is prepared to make a £1million bid for 32-year-old Blackburn striker Jason Roberts.

It is also reported that West Bromwich are also interested in Stoke City striker James Beattie.

According to Portsmouth’s official website, Portsmouth have signed Stoke City defender Ibrahima Sonko on a season-long loan. The deal is subject to approval by the Premier League as Portsmouth still have a transfer embargo.

According to Giscard Gourizro at Sky Sports News, Inter Milan striker Victor Obinna hinted that he might make a move to Stoke City. Obinna said,

“Stoke City is a very powerful team, I am also a powerful player so I will be at home there … It is only rumours and nothing serious so far so let’s wait and see. Teams have started moving now.

“I am aware of the interest from three or four clubs. I will take my time and make the right choice if I am not wanted here … I want to play week in, week out.”

UPDATE: According to Celtic’s official website, Celtic have completed the signing of Joe Ledley. Ledley signed a four-year deal with the club.

July 9th, 2010: According to Ronnie Cully at The Herald, Joe Ledley flew back to Wales without signing a contract with Celtic but is set to fly back at the start of the week. It is reported that Cardiff will try and pursue a compensation claim against Celtic.

July 7th, 2010: According to Mark Bloom at WalesOnline, Celtic are set to sign Joe Ledley. It is reported that Ledley turned down a four-year deal from Stoke City. This is unfortunate for Cardiff City as they will not receive compensation for Ledley with this move.

July 7th, 2010: According to Michael Baggaley at WhyDelilah, Joe Ledley is expected to make his decision within the next 24 hours.

July 5th, 2010 According to Ronnie Cully at the Evening Times, Celtic have jumped in the mix to sign Joe Ledley.

July 5th, 2010: According to Bill Howell at the Birmingham Mail, West Bromwich are still hopeful in signing Joe Ledley and that Ledley is expected to make his decision between West Brom or Stoke City later this week.

July 4th, 2010: According to MirrorFootball, Stoke City have offered Cardiff City £2million + midfielder Michael Tonge as a compensation package for Joe Ledley.

July 3rd, 2010 According to the Express & Star, West Bromwich are interested in signing midfielder Joe Ledley, who is out of contract with Cardiff City and would only cost a compensation fee as he is under 24. Stoke City are also interested in Joe Ledley as they had talks with him earlier in the week.

It is also reported that West Bromwich boss Roberto Di Matteo is interested in winger DaMarcus Beasley, who is out of contract with Rangers.

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According to Stoke City’s official website, Stoke City have signed winger Matthew Etherington to a new four-year deal with the club.

According to Michael Baggaley at WhyDelilah, Stoke City defender Carl Dickinson is interested in leaving the club with Preston North End leading the way to sign him. Dickinson said,

“I need to get out and start playing football every week … However, it is going to be hard to leave Stoke, because I have made a lot of friends here and the club has been brilliant with me … I have had some of the best years times of my life here. I will never forget being a part of what the club has achieved.

“To be a young lad playing when the club was promoted to the best league in the world was fantastic. Words can’t describe it and it would be nice to be involved in something like that again.”

Sheffield United is also interested in Dickinson, who could cost around £500,000.

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According to Stoke City’s official website, Stoke City goalkeeper Steve Simonsen has signed with Sheffield United on a free transfer. The 31-year-old had a clause in his contract that enabled him to leave on a free transfer if a club was interested in signing him.

According to Stoke City’s official website, Stoke City defender Andy Griffin has made his loan-move with Reading permanent. He signed a two-year deal with the club.

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UPDATE: According to Hull City’s official website, Wolverhampton have signed Hull City defender Steven Mouyokolo for an undisclosed fee. Mouyokolo signed a four-year deal with the club.

June 16th, 2010 According to the Express & Star, Wolverhampton are all set to announce the signing of Hull City defender Steven Mouyokolo. Stoke City were interested in him as well but the 23-year-old decided to join Wolves instead. The deal could be worth around £2.5million.

According to Michael Baggaley at Why Delilah, Blackburn are not going after Stoke City footballers James Beattie and Tuncay. Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce said,

“We have no interest in them at the moment and we haven’t made any inquiries … I am surprised to see the stories in that respect, although teams get linked with everyone at this time of year so I suppose I shouldn’t be too surprised.”

According to the Express and Star, Stoke City have been linked with a £2million move for Aston Villa striker Emile Heskey.

According to Michael Baggaley at Why Delilah, Stoke City chairman Peter Coates are willing to stretch their budget if there is a player they really want. Coates said,

“Every club has a structure and that is normal, but we always look at each player on his merits and there are different ways of doing things … But it is not a case of us looking for big-name players. What we want are good players who are going to improve us … The deal has to be acceptable to us and we don’t pay wages like Chelsea and Manchester United and Arsenal.”

However any deal made by Stoke City is likely to be made at the end of the transfer season. Coates said,

“The transfers are always a bit later anyway, but they are likely to be later because of the World Cup.”

UPDATE: According to ESPN Soccernet, Portsmouth and Stoke City are once again discussing a loan deal involving David James. A Pompey insider said,

“Talks have resumed with Stoke over James, so who knows what might happen there?”

January 15th, 2010 According to ESPN Soccernet, Stoke City are set to back out of the deal for Portsmouth goalkeeper David James as they do not want to pay his wages, which is reported to be £40,000-a-week.

January 15th, 2010 According to Neil Allen at The News, Stoke City are expected to sign Portsmouth goalkeeper David James on loan today. Stoke will reportedly pay a £500,000 loan fee and pay James’ wages which are around £65,000-a-week.

January 14th, 2010 According to ESPN Soccernet, Stoke City boss Tony Pulis is in talks with Portsmouth over signing goalkeeper David James on loan. Sources close to James said,

“It looks like the loan to Stoke will be tied up today. It’s just a question of the two clubs sorting it out, but it will only be a loan, simply a six-month loan, until the end of the season, at which point David will be free to explore all his options.”

Tony Pulis also said,

“We’ll have to see if the two clubs can come to a deal and we’re hoping it will be tied up for the weekend, but it will have to be right for us. If we can get him we’ll be absolutely delighted because if there’s a weakness (in the squad) it’s been between the sticks in respect of having competition and back-up.”

According to Sky Sports News, Stoke City defender Andy Wilkinson brushed off any speculation that he is leaving the club. Wilkinson said,

“It is nice to have the speculation, but I am just concentrating on my own game and trying to get my place in the team … I want to play in every single game, but there is good competition so it is always healthy and makes you train harder.”

According to the Express & Star, Wolverhampton are targeting Stoke City striker James Beattie. Manager Mick McCarthy confirmed that the club is looking for another striker saying,

“I’ve got four strikers. But we’re looking for someone and if we get someone, then fine.”

According to Sky Sports News, Stoke City goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen is not planning to leave the club. Sorensen said,

“I’m fully committed to Stoke and I’m not going anywhere … I had two meetings with the manager last week and I gave him my word that I wasn’t going anywhere.”

According to Joe Bernstein at the Daily Mail, Sunderland and Stoke City are both interested in Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster. It is reported that Foster is available for around £4million after falling behind goalkeepers Edwin Van der Sar and Tom Kuszczak.