Stoke City need a goal-scorer if they are to pull away from the Championship drop zone and Sam Cosgrove could be the man for the Potters.
Michael O’Neill is a firm admirer of Aberdeen goal-machine Sam Cosgrove and wants to bring him to Stoke City in the January transfer window, according to the Sun (17 November, page 67).
Cosgrove might not be a household name in Staffordshire but he has been one of the most prolific goalscorers in Britain since the start of last season. The one-time Everton youngster has 16 to his name in 2019/20 already, having found the net 21 times during the previous campaign north of the border.
And his form has apparently caught the eye of Stoke, who recently appointed Northern Ireland boss O’Neil as their new manager.
The Potters beat fellow strugglers Barnsley 4-2 last time out as the ‘new manager bounce’ began in earnest and January offers a great opportunity for O’Neill to start to shape a misfit squad in his own image.
Stoke have scored just 17 goals in 16 Championship games so far with strikers Scott Hogan, Lee Gregory, Tyrese Campbell and Sam Vokes boasting just seven between them.
Cosgrove, an old-school number nine who honed his aerial talents under the formidable Duncan Ferguson in Everton’s youth ranks, should be confident of giving Stoke some much-needed firepower should Aberdeen be forced into a sale.
“He looks at times unplayable,” Dons manager Derek McInnes told the Evening Express in October.
“He is really imposing himself on centre-backs. He is in a good place just now, his link play, his running power, the quality of his finishing, his heading ability, he gives you a bit of everything.”
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