Stoke City & Portsmouth launch bids for transfer that could cost £2m | OneFootball

Stoke City and Portsmouth are weighing up moves for Dundee's Scottish defender Luke Graham this summer

Stoke City and Portsmouth are looking to push towards the upper echelons of the Championship table next season, as the second-tier duo are locked in battle over the transfer of a talented young defender.

The summer transfer window is officially open, and some clubs have been more active than others.

Stoke have accelerated their transfer window plans over the past week, completing deals for both goalkeeper Joshua Griffiths from West Bromwich Albion and midfielder Djibril Soumare from Braga, having spent last season on loan with Sheffield United.

Swedish midfielder Svante Ingelsson is also reportedly close to making a move in excess of £1 million from Sheffield Wednesday, whilst the Potters have also launched a lucrative bid for Swansea City midfielder Ethan Galbraith north of the £10 million mark.

As for Portsmouth, it's been a quieter start to the window thus far, with Pompey recently linked with a move for Antalyaspor

midfielder Jesper Ceesay and a return for Hull City midfielder Abu Kamara, having confirmed no deals as yet.

However, as the weeks and months pass, expect business to ramp up at Fratton Park, as Portsmouth face competition from Stoke to secure the services of an international defender.

Stoke City and Portsmouth have launched bids for Dundee defender Luke Graham as the Scottish club hold out for £2 million

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For a large portion of the campaign, Stoke had the best defensive record in the entire Championship, with their lack of goals at the other end the only thing really separating them from Coventry City in the early stages of the season.

However, as injuries to the likes of Viktor Johansson, Gavin Bazunu, Junior Tchamadeu, Ben Wilmot, Bosun Lawal, Maksym Talovierov, Ben Gibson, and Aaron Cresswell hindered team selection, the Potters' form was derailed, as was their solid defence.

With Ashley Phillips heading back to Spurs following his loan spell, Robins' side are in need of another centre-back to step in and provide competition, as it was reported by Alan Nixon via Patreon back in May that the Potters were tracking the situation of young Scottish centre-back Luke Graham.

Graham, 22, made 40 appearances in all competitions for Dundee last season, predominantly as a left-sided centre-back in a back four, and has attracted interest from the likes of Rangers, Derby County, and Norwich City, among numerous other European and British sides.

Now, according to the Daily Record, it's Stoke and Portsmouth who are locked in a tight battle with each other for the services of Graham, with the Championship duo launching bids for the Scottish defender, with Dundee holding out for around £2 million.

Graham appeared on the bench for Scotland in the Tartan Army's third-to-last game against Curacao before heading to the World Cup, and now looks ready to take the next step in his career, with England's second tier looking the most likely destination at this stage.

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho will be hoping Graham chooses the South Coast as his next destination this summer to continue his development, in what would be a big deal for the cash-strapped outfit.

Graham would almost certainly command a starting berth at Fratton Park if he were to make the move, providing strong competition for the likes of Conor Shaughnessy, Regan Poole, Hayden Matthews, Josh Knight, and Ibane Bowat at the back.

With Stoke, his game time is no more guaranteed, though he would likely feature ahead of Gibson but provide strong competition for each of Wilmot, Lawal, and Talovierov.

Where his next destination will be remains to be seen, as Stoke and Portsmouth are set to continue to lock horns over the capture of the Scottish international.

Mark Robins and John Mousinho will be hoping to create a stronger pitch than the other as Stoke City and Portsmouth battle it out for Luke Graham this summer

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As Stoke and Portsmouth are set to go to the wire over the services of Graham, both Robins and Mousinho will be doing their best to convince the defender that their club is the right fit for him.

Graham has proven his capability of playing at a higher level during his time with Dundee, and now, looks ready to make the jump to the Championship.

Though, whether his destination ends up being the bet365 Stadium or Fratton Park remains to be seen, as this saga is set to rumble on over the coming days and weeks.