STOKE FORCED TO CHANGE BIG FORWARD PLANS

STOKE

- Peter Smith

City brought forward a summer swoop for Milan Smit after being hit by successive injury blows this month.Stoke had earmarked the 22-year-old Go Ahead Eagles striker as a target for the next window but as Robert Bozenik (shoulder), then Sam Gallagher (hamstring), then Divin Mubama (ankle) went down, plus Nathan Lowe (leg) and Emre Tezgel (ankle), the timeline was redrawn.

The recruitment team moved quickly last week to strike a deal, trying to make sure he was registered in time to serve a one-match suspension last weekend and be available to make his debut against Southampton on Saturday (12.30pm).

Stoke have been coy about whether they managed to rush it through in time as Smit, who watched the 1-1 draw with Birmingham, was only confirmed on Sunday morning.