Fabian Delph uninterested in joining Stoke City - Report

Manchester City midfielder Fabian Delph has had a tough time in Sky Blue since joining the club a couple of years ago. Injuries have seriously curtailed any chance the Englishman could have at major success with City.

Delph moved from Aston Villa to City in 2015, a move that surprised many who knew the Villa captain. City seemed like a club a step above Delph’s qualities, but perhaps the need to fill the homegrown quota convinced City to sign him on the cheap.

When Delph has played for City, especially at the end of last season, he’s played quite well. Combining an excellent work ethic with a powerful left foot that can unleash some big shots from long distance, Delph has scored some quite nice goals for City.

Despite that, Delph should probably be moved on for his own good. Consistent playing time might allow the England international a chance at developing a good run of form and health.

Considering the amount of talent City currently have in midfield, it seems like Delph was always destined for a move away from the Etihad, and Stoke City have been strongly linked with the player, having already made a £10 million bid that was rejected. The Potters are ready to make another offer, but according to a report from the Stoke Sentinel, Delph’s interest in joining Stoke is ‘cooling down’.

The question is: where should Delph go? A club like City is obviously too big for his services, but a club like Stoke might be a bit too far down the pecking order as well. Selling their main man Marko Arnautovic is going to have a devastating effect in attracting players to the club. Stoke finished 13th last season, and unless Xherdan Shaqiri can have a spectacular performance to make up for Arnautovic’s absence, the Potters may be in the lower half again this season.

Manchester City, from a business perspective, should sell Delph to any team willing to pay the most. Thinking about a good destination for the player, perhaps teams like West Bromwich Albion, Crystal Palace or West Ham United seem perfect for him and need reinforcements in midfield. Let’s see if they make any offers.