'In our thoughts' - Stoke City boss confirms interest in Nigeria international

Manager Michael O'Neill has confirmed that Stoke City are interested in signing Nigeria international Josh Maja and Romaine Sawyers in the summer transfer window.

Allnigeriasoccer.com exclusively reported on Thursday that Maja is attracting interest from EFL Championship club Cardiff City and Belgian Pro League teams Anderlecht and Royal Antwerp, but have to see off competition from Stoke City to land his signature.

The Sunderland academy product spent the second half of last season on loan at the bet365 Stadium and showed glimpses of his talent by directly participating in five goals in seventeen all-competition appearances.

With Bordeaux relegated to the third-tier of French football due to financial issues and the Nigerian having one year left on his contract, everything points to the fact that Les Girondins will cash in on the striker this summer.

Speaking to BBC Radio Stoke, O'Neill said on Maja and Sawyers : "We have to look at the situation around players leaving probably before we can determine a what level we can add, which is going to be driven by finance and what type of player we feel we need at that point in time.

"So both players are very much in our thoughts, but at this moment in time, we're probably not a position to say ''well, they are going to be in the building next week."

Maja's finest moment as a Bordeaux player was scoring a hat-trick in a Ligue 1 match versus Nîmes Olympique on December 3, 2019.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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