Stoke in the market for Charlie Adam
STOKE ON TRENT, England ● Tony Pulis has made a £4 million bid for Liverpool’s Charlie Adam and hopes to complete a deal in the next 24 hours.
Stoke City manager Pulis wants the former Blackpool midfielder to bolster his options at the Britannia Stadium.
Pulis has moved for Adam, who appears surplus to requirements under new Anfield manager Brendan Rodgers, after considering alternative deals for Spurs’ Tom Huddlestone and Blackburn Rovers’ Steven N’Zonzi. He faces opposition from Fulham and Everton, who have both made tentative enquiries for the 26-year-old and Turkish club Fenerbahce is are also another potential destination.
Pulis has been told he has to offload players before he can bring in any more signings and there is a suggestion that midfielder Wilson Palacios could be on his way out of the club.
Palacios, signed from Spurs last summer for £8 million, has failed to settle in Stoke and has been made to train with the club’s development squad as Pulis looks to ease him out of the club.
Stoke have had enquiries from a “couple of clubs” for Palacios, according to sources and would be willing to sell for around £6 million.
Adam has stated all summer, since the arrival of Rodgers that he is happy to remain at Anfield and fight for his place. He has struggled to make an impact at the club since his £6.75 million move from Blackpool and does not appear to figure in Rodgers’ first team plans.
● Berbatov snubs Fiorentina for Fulham
Fulham look set to respond swiftly to the sale of Moussa Dembele to Tottenham Hostpur, with Manchester United’s Dimitar Berbatov the latest to be linked with a surprise move to Craven Cottage – with Fiorentina enraged that the striker turned his back on them.
Fulham have already had a £2 million bid accepted for Sunderland’s Kieran Richardson, with that transfer dependent on personal negotiation and, as Martin Jol seeks a first-choice forward, follow it with bids for Lyon’s Bafetimbi Gomis and now Berbatov.
For his part, the Bulgarian is understood to be hugely open to a move to the Cottage, having previously enjoyed his time under Jol with Spurs.
