REPORT: Stoke City keen to add to their Irish contingent

An up and down summer could be about to get... wait. How exactly would you describe a move from Stoke City to Everton?

Sideways. James McCarthy is the subject of 'a polite enquiry' from Stoke, according to The Guardian, as they try to bolster their midfield for the upcoming campaign. Having successfully campaigned [we're claiming some of the credit] to allow McCarthy to flourish in Ireland's 'Glenn Whelan role', instead of Glenn Whelan, the 25-year-old rebounded to finish Euro 2016 well. https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/744658724527157249 Now, if Mark Hughes has his way and Ronald Koeman is insane, the Ireland midfielders could be shoehorned into a starting XI again. Hughes is monitoring Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina, who would cost Stoke at least £12m, but there is interest from teams in England, Germany and Austria. Keeping transfer options open, The Potters have reportedly contacted Toffees chairman Bill Kenwright to ask after McCarthy. Having been linked with Manchester United and Tottenham in the past 12 months, the Stoke enquiry is somewhat of an indication of McCarthy's dip in form in recent months. He was troubled by a groin injury for much of 2015/16 and Roberto Martinez stopped providing fitness updates about him in May. Stoke already have Irish internationals Jon Walters, Stephen Ireland, Whelan and Shay Given on their books but would happily welcome a player of McCarthy's battling qualities. Stoke's Swiss midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri, meanwhile, has told German outlet Blick that stories linking him to Borussia Dortmund are tosh. He commented:

"On July 24 I start back at Stoke with training and I'm looking forward to the Premier League. I have goals to achieve for Stoke."

Whether or not McCarthy joins Shaqiri at the Britannia Stadium, next season, remains to be seen.