One of the most exciting young players in MLS is headed for Stoke, but they will need to make room in the side.
Jack Harrison is the subject of a bid from Stoke City, according to the Daily Mail.
The New York City FC winger has starred in MLS since being selected as the number one SuperDraft pick in 2016, leading to a call-up to the England Under-21 squad.
And his 14 goals and 13 assists in 59 MLS matches look to have attracted the attention of his hometown club, with a move to the Premier League likely.
While a small fee of less than £4million has been mooted, Harrison’s status as a youth international star shows that he has the potential to become a key man for Stoke.
Indeed, this transfer could well have Xherdan Shaqiri wondering where his future lies.
A mercurial talent who, like Harrison, favours an inverted wide role on the right-hand side, Shaqiri’s popularity waned in the final weeks of Mark Hughes’ tenure at the bet365 Stadium.
The Swiss international was jeered in the home defeat to Newcastle United as the Stoke fans felt that he was not pulling his weight.
Paul Lambert’s arrival coincided with a return to form on Saturday, when Shaqiri brilliantly assisted Mame Biram Diouf’s goal, but it will be interesting to see if he is gradually faded out of the picture.
Harrison would benefit from working with Shaqiri, but it could work well to then move the former Bayern Munich man on at the end of the season to allow the youngster to flourish.
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