Ryan Shawcross is yet to agree a new contract with Stoke so should Newcastle look to swoop in?
Ryan Shawcross is still yet to agree a new deal at Stoke City and according to the Daily Mail the club are already looking at alternatives to their captain.
The report says that Middlesbrough’s Ben Gibson, Jeison Murillo of Inter Milan and Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho are all on their radar as concerns over losing Shawcross increase.
Middlesbrough’s Ben Gibson applauds fans after the game
The Potteries skipper is about to enter the final year of his current contract at the Bet365 Stadium and while chief executive Tony Scholes told the Stoke Sentinel the club is confident of reaching a new agreement, official talks have not yet started.
During this period of uncertainty, should Newcastle United reignite their own interest in Shawcross, which was reported by the Chronicle back in April?
Talk of the 29-year-old coming to St James’ Park has cooled somewhat since then, but the centre-back could be exactly the sort of player Rafa Benitez needs in his side as they prepare for life back in the Premier League.
After joining the Staffordshire outfit from Manchester United permanently in 2008, Shawcross has gone on to play 290 top flight games for them and yet even though he is vastly experienced, is still a few months short of his 30th birthday.
Stok’s Ryan Shawcross and Charlie Adam after the match
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