Stoke City eyeball £1.5m deal to see off Rangers competition | OneFootball

Stoke City have joined the race for Dundee centre-back Luke Graham, but face pressure from Championship rivals Derby and Norwich, as well as Rangers.

Stoke City will be keen to ensure they have a strong summer window this time around to give themselves the best possible chance of finally breaking into the top half of the Championship next season, and have seemingly set their sights on boosting their defensive options.

A tricky season for Stoke, at one stage, showed so much promise, but as has been the story for much of the past decade, it would end in disappointment.

When the likes of Sorba Thomas, Tomas Rigo, Aaron Cresswell, and Lamine Cisse all joined, and both Ashley Phillips and Steven Nzonzi returned for second spells, there was a huge degree of optimism surrounding the Potters, and that optimism looked justified to begin with, winning four of their opening five league games.

However, with only Sheffield Wednesday picking up fewer points across the final 30 games, manager Mark Robins has recently come under increased pressure, with the Potters eyeing up alternatives to the 56-year-old, as exclusively revealed by Football League World.

Despite Robins' future being in doubt, this hasn't stopped the Potters from delving into the transfer market, and they are seemingly preparing to launch a bid for a young defender wanted by the likes of Rangers, Derby County, and Norwich City.

Stoke City have made a move for young Dundee defender Luke Graham

Stoke maintained one of the best defensive records for a good portion of the campaign, but that solidity wavered as the season came to a close and injury problems caught up with them.

Viktor Johansson missed almost half of the season, whilst the likes of Bosun Lawal, Ben Wilmot, Ben Gibson, Maksym Talovierov, Aaron Cresswell, Junior Tchamadeu, and Gavin Bazunu all spent time out of action, disrupting Robins' team selection consistency.

With Ashley Phillips due to return to Tottenham Hotspur this summer and no indication as to whether that move will be made a permanent one, Stoke are considering all their options, and according to Alan Nixon via Patreon, are attempting to outbid the likes of Rangers and Lincoln City for Scottish defender Luke Graham.

Graham, 22, has enjoyed an excellent year with Dundee in the Scottish top flight, and his performances at the back have alerted the likes of Derby, Norwich, Portsmouth, and Charlton Athletic to his services as well.

However, the Potters are keen to add the highly-rated left-footed defender to their ranks in what could prove to be a real coup, but face strong competition for his services.

Nixon states that Stoke may go as high as £1.5 million to lure the Scot to the Potteries, whilst also offering him a handsome salary to sweeten the deal.

At this stage, Graham's preference in his next destination remains unclear, but with interest in his services not exactly sparse, he will have his pick of clubs this summer, and Stoke are looking to do everything in their power to ensure that the bet365 Stadium is his new home.

Mark Robins must prove his worth in the transfer window at Stoke City amid Luke Graham link

With Robins under increased pressure as of late, the former Coventry boss must prove that he is the right person to lead the Potters into the new campaign, and can help to demonstrate that in the transfer market with some savvy additions, including Graham.

The 56-year-old has previously stated his desire to remain in charge and belief that he is indeed the right person, saying: "We all want more than that. We started off really brightly, that changes people's perception, but also the expectation levels go up and you've got to manage that especially when things fall away a little bit.

"I'm always learning about the squad and the team. I think we've got a lot of work to do and [I'm] determined to take it forward.

"We've got to make sure we are better than we've been this year - I don't mean in terms of performance, because some have been really good."

Whether Robins will indeed be the person to guide Stoke into next season remains to be seen, but that uncertainty should not hinder their pursuit of Graham, and the club must do everything they can to fend off competition and get this deal over the line.