NOT FOR THE first time, Jon Walters’ future at Stoke City is up in the air after the Potters ‘angrily’ rejected Burnley’s initial approach for the Ireland international.
Walters is under contract at the Britannia Stadium until 2018 and is due to return to pre-season training next week but has been the subject of interest from Burnley.
It was widely reported yesterday that Burnley submitted a bid worth up to £3 million for the 33-year-old striker, but the Stoke Sentinel today say the offer was a much smaller fee and was immediately rebuffed.
According to the newspaper, Stoke believe the figure was an insult to both the club and Walters with Burnley and Sean Dyche now left to consider submitting an improved bid.
Walters signed a two-and-a-half year contract with Stoke in November 2015 after a number of failed approaches from Norwich City but has become increasingly frustrated by a lack of game time at the Potteries.
The Irish striker, 34 in September, started just 13 Premier League games under Mark Hughes last season and with the possibility of a World Cup in Russia next summer, will want sufficient game time at club level to remain part of Martin O’Neill’s plans.
Dyche, meanwhile, is supposedly keen to bolster his attacking options ahead of the new campaign and has identified Walters as a key target, with Ireland internationals Stephen Ward, Jeff Hendrick and Robbie Brady already on the books at Turf Moor.
With Walters out of contract next summer, Stoke may look to cash in during this transfer window but are almost certain to demand more than £3 million for his services.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
Well done fionnuala! U had great race! Roll on Rio!
Going there and delivering a PB
You can do no more
Hard luck
A PB is as good as we can reasonably expect from any athlete.
Looks like the golden age of Coughlan, Treacey, O’Sullivan etc was a statistical abberation.
I’m still happy that we send our best even though most don’t have any prospect of a medal – its what the Olympics is all about.
(as well as:
promoting Big Mac meals which, I don’t care what anyone says, are delicious,
providing a battleground for drug users and drug user cathchers
nice arses on beach volley-ball players, in particular, but not exclusively, the women)