Aston Villa got rid of Glenn Whelan after they returned to the Premier League but he could stay in the Championship with Stoke City.
Glenn Whelan is dreaming of an emotional return to Stoke City after Aston Villa decided against extending the veteran midfielder’s contract, according to the Stoke Sentinel.
The 35-year-old might never have been the most popular player amongst the Villa Park crowd but there is no doubting the role he played in the club’s promotion to the Premier League last season. Whelan made 38 appearances in all competitions across 2018/19, proving to be a key figure under both Steve Bruce and Dean Smith.
Yet, he was still one of eight players released by Villa in the aftermath of their Championship play-off final victory against Derby County a week ago, the Republic of Ireland international joining Albert Adomah, Alan Hutton and co in being ushered out the door.
But The Sentinel suggests that Whelan might not be a free agent for long with Stoke keen to re-sign a player who made 338 appearances for the club during nine years in the Potteries.
And the report adds that Whelan would jump at the chance to join the club he left two years ago for £1 million, despite expected interest from elsewhere in the second tier of English football.
Whelan signed for Stoke in January 2008, helping the Potters to promotion just a few months into his career in the red and white shirt.
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