Stoke City are currently in the 14th spot in the Premier League table with a negative 13 goal difference. Mark Hughes has admitted that he needs more firepower up front to help them secure a top spot by the end of the season. He will be looking to sign a striker on a loan this January, although the top names might not be available or would just outright too expensive.
The Potters have failed to score more than 2 goals in a match this season, and this can be attributed to their struggle to climb up to the top half of the table.
Currently, Mark Hughes has to rely on Mame Biram Diouf at wing-back and the 36 year old former England international, Peter Crouch to lead the attacking lineup alongside out-of-form Saido Berahino.
Odion Ighalo (Changchun Yatai FC):
Stoke City can look to move for former Watford striker Odion Ighalo. He moved to the Chinese Super League in the summer and earns a mammoth £190,000 per week there. However, many clubs including Southampton are looking to bring him back to England.
He was always open about a possible return to the Premier League.
“On a personal level, it is good money for me but if I had my way I would love to stay in the Premier League,” he said at the time of his surprise £20m transfer. “I have my family here, the kids are in school here, they have their friends here and getting that stability is never easy when you keep moving your family. But what can we do? Life goes on,” he said in a recent interview.
His strength and goal scoring instincts will be well suited to Stoke’s style of play.
Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool):
They can also look at a possible loan move for out of favour striker from Liverpool, Daniel Sturridge with the promise of regular football. Rumours surfaced that he is dissatisfied with his current position on the bench for the majority of the matches, and wants a first-team spot. He has been linked to a move to Italian giants AC Milan, but Stoke City can swoop in and give the Englishman a chance to resurrect his career.
Cenk Tosun (Besiktas):
Besiktas striker Cenk Tosun has also been linked to Premier League sides like Newcastle United and Crystal Palace. He has netted 25 goals in 45 appearances for the Turkish side. Although he may come at a hefty price tag of £20m, Stoke City can look to set up an exchange deal too with one of their less influential strikers like Sadio Berahino or Ibrahim Afellay.
