Stoke City readying blockbuster £10m Ipswich Town transfer offer | OneFootball

Stoke City are prepared to bid as much as £10 million to sign Ipswich Town striker George Hirst this summer

Stoke City are on the hunt for a new centre-forward this summer, and have seemingly set Ipswich Town forward George Hirst in their crosshairs, as the Potters are now reportedly ready to pay upwards of £10 million for the Scot.

Murmurs of a new centre-forward being on Mark Robins' shopping list this summer at Stoke have been rumbling on, with the club having reportedly previously been interested in a move for Sarpsborg striker Daniel Karlsbakk.

However, now, the Potters have turned their attentions back to the United Kingdom in their hunt for a new star striker, and have seemingly lined up Hirst, as, according to Alan Nixon via Patreon, Stoke are prepared to bid as much as £10 million for the 27-year-old.

Hirst is reportedly wanted by numerous Championship clubs on loan, but with Ipswich preferring a sale, Stoke are in the driving seat, as Robins and his recruitment team weigh up a sizeable offer for the striker.

Stoke City prepared to pay £10m for Ipswich Town striker George Hirst

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Stoke's interest in Hirst was initially reported last Friday by The Scottish Sun's Charlie Gordon, and now, more details surrounding the Potters' potential swoop have been revealed.

Hirst made 42 Championship appearances for Ipswich last season under Kieran McKenna, with 25 of those being starts as the Tractor Boys earned an immediate return to the Premier League, with the Scot netting 11 and grabbing four assists.

He would battle Ivan Azon for a place up top at Portman Road, netting some crucial goals along the way, including away at Stoke as Ipswich came from 2-0 down to draw 3-3, earning a point that proved to be crucial to their promotion in the end.

The 27-year-old linked up with Steve Clarke's Scotland squad for the recent World Cup in North America, but failed to make an appearance as the Tartan Army went home early.

Now, with Ipswich having signed Brazilian striker Emersonn and Japanese forward Daizen Maida, whether he is a part of Gary O'Neil's plans in Suffolk appears to be doubtful, as Stoke are readying a lucrative exit route for the Scot this summer.

Does George Hirst warrant a £10 million fee for Stoke City?

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Having come through the ranks at Sheffield Wednesday and scoring prolifically for England's youth sides, Hirst has since spent time with Leicester City, OH Leuven, Rotherham United, Portsmouth, and Blackburn Rovers prior to joining Ipswich in January 2023.

The Scot has scored 30 and grabbed 15 assists in 125 games across all competitions since, proving to be a solid option at Championship level.

However, at 27 and having only hit double digits for goals twice in his career to date, Hirst has never proven to be especially clinical at senior level, as a £10 million fee would appear incredibly steep, especially for Stoke.

Whilst the Potters reportedly paid similarly to bring Ethan Galbraith in from Swansea City, whether they should replicate that with Hirst is up for debate.

With each of Sam Gallagher, Milan Smit, and Robert Bozenik as options heading into next campaign, it's not exactly an encouraging sign for the Potters to be after another striker for that sort of fee at this stage, considering those options.

A £10 million outlay would be a huge risk for Stoke to go ahead with, especially if it's a guaranteed fee and not performance-based.

How have Stoke City fans reacted to this fresh George Hirst update?

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With news of Stoke's willingness to cough up as much as £10 million for Hirst this summer, Potters supporters have been quick to react to this update via social media.

Not exactly the most positive of takes, as sporting director Jon Walters has come under more fire for his position at the club.

The former Stoke striker hasn't been an especially popular figure since taking a senior role in the background at the club, and splashing £10 million on Hirst could be the final straw for this supporter.

Tom Cannon had an excellent loan spell with Stoke some 18 months ago before moving to Sheffield United for a similar fee, as the fan believes the Irishman should be targeted over Hirst.

Indeed, Bristol City have confirmed the additions of Lorent Tolaj and Dom Ballard for around a combined £9 million, which, on the face of it, looks to be incredible business, as Stoke should take notes.