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Amid European interest, Geoff Cameron close to Stoke exit

By Joe Prince-WrightAug 13, 2018, 10:34 AM EDT

USMNT veteran Geoff Cameron is close to leaving Stoke City following their relegation from the Premier League last season.

Cameron, 33, hasn’t featured for Stoke this season in the second tier. He missed the season opener at Leeds United due to flying home to the USA to be with his father who suffered a stroke, and he wasn’t included in Gary Rowett’s 18-man squad for their 1-1 home draw against Brentford on Saturday.

Pro Soccer Talk understands Cameron is getting plenty of interest from elsewhere in Europe and has a $9.5 million buyout clause in his contract. We understand Cameron has been eager to move on since the end of last season when the Potters were relegated from the Premier League, but is relaxed about the situation with a few weeks of the transfer window to go outside of the Premier League in England and across most of Europe.

A report from the Daily Telegraph stated that Cameron, Charlie Adam, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Giannelli Imbula are all allowed to leave before the end of the transfer window for Football League clubs which is on August 31.

Pro Soccer Talk understands that clubs from Spain, Germany and Scandinavia want to sign Cameron with Odense BK in Denmark, Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga and Rayo Vallecano in La Liga potential destinations for the holding midfielder, who can also play at center back and right back.

Cameron has spent the past six seasons in the Premier League at Stoke and was a regular under both Tony Pulis and Mark Hughes. He joined Stoke from the Houston Dynamo in 2012 after becoming an MLS All-Star and reaching an MLS Cup final during his five years in the league.

The versatile Massachusetts native has made 55 appearances for the U.S. national team as he played a starring role at the 2014 World Cup.

Cameron had previously been linked with a move back to MLS with the LA Galaxy, but the contract offer wasn’t deemed to be viable.

Adam takes shot at Shaqiri as example of Stoke rot

Danny Lawson/PA via AP

By Nicholas MendolaJul 19, 2018, 7:55 AM EDT

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Xherdan Shaqiri has left relegated Stoke City for the greener Premier League pastures of Liverpool, labeling it a move in search of silverware.

Former teammate Charlie Adam thinks that’s pretty rich.

[ MORE: Alisson on the brink of joining PL giants Liverpool ]

The 32-year-old Adam, a former Red himself, says Shaqiri was among the group of players he criticized for shrinking in big moments and not caring enough about the relegation fight.

Here’s what Adam said in May:

“I’ll be honest for the supporters, I think some players have been getting away with murder for a long time and it’s difficult for supporters. It’s not just one or two, I think there are four or five that could be counted.”

Offensively, Shaqiri had the best season of his career. The 26-year-old Swiss international scored eight goals in the Premier League, but was absent from the score sheet from March 3-April 28. Stoke collected just four points during that eight-match span, all draws.

But Shaqiri did score Stoke’s lone goal in the match which saw them officially relegated, a 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace in which there’s no question the stakes were incredibly high.

Asked about Shaqiri on Thursday, Adam did not hold back.

“Was he one of them? Oh, definitely. When the chips are down you look at your big players, you want your big players to bring magic in one moment in the season, and at times we felt like the so-called big players in the squad never turned up for us and never performed.

“Yeah, everybody else could help, but for all the plaudits to so-called bigger players we getting from certain members of the management staff last season – they weren’t producing.”

Shaqiri scored in three-straight February matches, of which Stoke won exactly zero, and pitched in seven assists this season. Huh.

While we don’t know what his attitude was like around the Potteries, it’s very difficult to consider labeling his season a big reason for Stoke’s downfall.

He’s an easy man to scapegoat now, being out the door, but Shaqiri had a decent season for sure. Adam is a strong servant of Stoke, but played in less than a dozen games. This truly seems like the wrong messenger picking the wrong target, though it could help build a bit of momentum for a new season.

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Stoke City 1-2 Everton: Tosun delivers

By Joe Prince-WrightMar 17, 2018, 12:53 PM EDT

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Tosun has 4 goals in 3 games
Charlie Adam sent off for Stoke in first half
Stoke remain in bottom three

Everton beat 10-man Stoke City 2-1 at a snowy bet365 Stadium on Saturday as Cenk Tosun scored twice in the second half to secure just a second away win in 24 Premier League games for the Toffees.

Sam Allardyce‘s side were given a helping hand as Charlie Adam was sent off in the first half but Stoke battled hard and equalized through Erik-Choupo Moting.

Yet the Toffees secured the win to move into ninth place on 40 points, while Stoke stay in 19th on 27 points.

[ MORE: Watch full PL match replays ]

The first big chance of the game arrived for Everton as Tom Davies lost Charlie Adam from a set piece but headed Wayne Rooney‘s cross way over.

Stoke reacted well in the snowy conditions after a slow start but then the game was turned in Everton’s favor.

[ MORE: Latest Premier League standings ]

Adam lost the ball and lunged into a tackle on Wayne Rooney which saw him handed a straight red card and deservedly so as he walked straight down the tunnel without complaining.

Stoke recovered well after going down to 10-men and were tough for Everton to break down.

[ VIDEO: Premier League highlights ]

In the second half Everton took the lead as Tosun was found in the box by Idrissa Gueye‘s cross as Stoke thought they had cleared the danger but Tosun pounced to hammer home. 1-0.

Just when you thought Stoke would collapse, they equalized from a set piece situation. Choupo-Moting finished to send a record home crowd wild and make it 1-1.

Yet a topsy-turvy game took another twist late on as Theo Walcott‘s cross from the right found Tosun and his diving header beat Jack Butland who should have done better. Everton’s fans in the away end were delighted.

[ MORE: Premier League schedule ]

Dominic Calvert-Lewin was denied by Butland late on as Stoke tired but the Toffees had to settle for two goals as they took three points back to Merseyside with them.

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Leicester City 1-1 Stoke City: Foxes fight back

By Joe Prince-WrightFeb 24, 2018, 9:25 AM EST

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Butland own goal rescues point for Leicester
Shaqiri’s third goal in three games have Stoke lead
Potters remain in bottom three

Leicester City fought back to draw 1-1 with Stoke City at the King Power Stadium on Saturday, with an own goal from Jack Butland in the second half canceling out Xherdan Shaqiri‘s opener.

Stoke took the lead just before half time with a beauty from Shaqiri but after Butland misjudged a cross to knock the ball into his own net, Leicester came alive and hit the post twice late on.

With the draw Leicester momentarily move up to seventh place on 36 points, while Stoke remain in 19th place on 26 points and are without an away win since October.

[ MORE: Watch full PL match replays ]

A cagey start to proceedings in the sun saw Riyad Mahrez and Badou Ndiaye both go close from distance as Leicester had plenty of corner kicks but couldn’t get behind a solid Stoke defense.

Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy launched counter attacks when they could but the Algerian was off target on a few occasions as Claude Puel‘s men toiled without much reward in the afternoon sun.

[ MORE: Latest Premier League standings ]

Stoke then delivered a hammer blow just before half time as Shaqiri picked up a pass from Joe Allen, drove towards the Leicester defense and curled home his third goal in as many games to give the Potters a half time lead.

A perfect opening 45 minutes for Lambert’s side as Shaqiri had his seventh goal of the season.

[ VIDEO: Premier League highlights ]

In the second half Leicester battled back into the game but Stoke almost went 2-0 up as Kasper Schmeichel‘s loose pass found Shaqiri and his long-range effort skipped just wide of an empty net.

The Foxes were then gifted a way back into the game as Albrighton’s powerful cross from the right was towards Vardy and although the English striker didn’t touch the ball, he did enough to put off Butland as the ball hit him and went into his own net to make it 1-1.

[ MORE: Premier League schedule ]

Energized by the equalizer Leicester battered the Stoke goal as Butland saved superbly from Mahrez, then Vardy drilled an effort across goal which found Harry Maguire who hit the post with a shot.

Late on Charlie Adam‘s backward header let Mahrez race clear but a combination of Butland and Kurt Zouma kept him out and from the resulting corner Matty James hit the post with a header.

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Stoke City 1-1 Brighton: Ryan saves the day

By Joe Prince-WrightFeb 10, 2018, 11:54 AM EST

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Potters without a win in three
Brighton unbeaten in three
Izqueirdo, Shaqiri trade superb goals

Stoke City and Brighton battled out to a 1-1 draw at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday.

Two form wingers grabbed the goals as Jose Izquierdo put the Seagulls ahead with a fine team goal, but Xherdan Shaqiri curled home a beauty in the second half to grab a point at home for the Potters.

Stoke could have won it late on as referee Bobby Madley awarded them a penalty kick but Charlie Adam had his penalty saved by Mat Ryan to seal a point for the Seagulls.

With the point Stoke remain in the relegation zone on 25 points, but they’re just three points behind Brighton in 13th on 28 points.

[ MORE: Watch full PL match replays ]

Stoke went close after an even start in the Potteries with Mame Biram Diouf volleyed wide.

Brighton took the lead through Izquierdo as the Colombian winger continued his impressive recent form by capping off a flowing team move.

[ MORE: Latest Premier League standings ]

He played a one-two with Solly March, then Dale Stephens was involved as Brighton looked like Brazil in their yellow jerseys with Izquierdo slotting home.

Straight away Mame Biram Diouf almost equalized but volleyed wide,

[ VIDEO: Premier League highlights ]

Badou Ndiaye was the forefront of everything good about Stoke as the Senegalese midfielder had a volley saved by Mat Ryan and then forced another effort just wide at the end of the first half.

Ndiaye went close again at the start of the second half as Stoke pressed for the equalizer but left themselves vulnerable on the break as Davy Propper nodded over.

[ MORE: Premier League schedule ]

Shaqiri then equalized with a fine individual goal as he curled home from outside the box to level the scores and set up a grandstand finish.

Stoke pushed hard to go head but Brighton dug deep as drama ensued in the final minutes. Jese was bundled over in the box by Stephens and a penalty kick was awarded.

Jese wanted to take the PK but substitute Adam pulled rank and had his penalty saved by Ryan then Lewis Dunk cleared superbly.

From the two resulting corners Brighton cleared off the line twice in wild fashion.

What a finish as the honors were even.

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