O’NEILL STAYING QUIET
Potters boss not expecting late market deals but Edwards is moving on loan
MICHAEL O’neill is expecting a low-key transfer deadline day today – and is confident his squad will be stronger when the window closes than when it opened.
Tom Edwards is heading to Fleetwood Town on loan, but other deals are unlikely, although not impossible, ahead of the 5pm domestic deadline.
O’neill has brought in five new signings – including four free agents – as he addressed the priorities in his squad, while getting nine senior players out… even if that is not as many as he would have liked.
With fixtures about to come thick and fast, it was put to him that he would probably be relieved when the deadline passed.
“I’ll be pleased if I have the squad where I’d like it to be at that minute in time,” he said.
“I doubt I will because we probably need more players to go out than to come in, but that’s out of my control. We’ll see what develops over the next 24 hours.
“Certainly I think we have a stronger squad and a squad that is more equipped for the season that lies ahead.”
Edwards is hoping to echo the progress of Harry Souttar, whose 18 months at Fleetwood working with Joey Barton and Clint Hill has propelled him into the first team at Stoke.
O’neill said: “Harry’s spent longer on loan than he has at the club. You have to get the balance right on that.
“We set him down the challenge when he came back to get into the team rather than look for another loan and he’s taken that challenge and done well.
“I’ve been very pleased with him coming into the team and now he has to do everything possible to make sure he cements his place and his long-term future is with Stoke City.
“He’s had to go through a few loans to get into that position and that’s a positive that’s worked well for Harry.
“It doesn’t work for every player, but certainly in Harry’s case he’s benefited from being out. As a young centre-back, going out and dealing with the demands and physicality of League One, it seems to have made him ready to play at Championship level.”
Bruno Martins Indi was allowed out last week for a long-term loan at AZ Alkmaar, having made it clear that he wanted to play at a higher level.
O’neill said: “Bruno’s a player who’s come from European football into the Premier League with Stoke, the club’s been relegated and he’s played in the Championship now for two seasons.
“I think we asked him to play, since I came in, at left-back and I thought he did that well. It’s not his natural position, but we were without a left-back at that point in time. He’s definitely more comfortable in a back three.
“Bruno’s better games have always been against better teams because of the nature of the game. I think you can look at how he played at Aston Villa and Wolves in the cup.
“The Championship is a different type of game, a different type of challenge – and equally we have to be mindful of the wage bill at the club.
“The wage bill is very high for the Championship and when the opportunity comes, a player wants to go and it’s the right offer on the table, we’ll consider it.
“I think we have enough cover in that area with Morgan Fox and we still have Liam Lindsay at the club as well, both left-sided centrebacks. Our numbers are high in that position.
“With Harry pushing through and Nathan (Collins) pushing through, we were in a position where we were able to consider the loan and Bruno wanted to go. For both parties I think it was the right thing.”