Is Ledley leaning towards Stoke

Will it be Stoke City

It’s been a quiet week on the Joe Ledley front, will he stay or will he go, who knows.

According to the Daily Mail the pull of the Premier League could win the day with Stoke City the front running. If true Cardiff City will be happy has they can expect a compensation payment hopefully running into a good few millions.

Cardiff City fan and Stoke City manager Tony Pulis has been a long term fan for the Cardiff midfielder having a £6million bid turn down a few season back, but has always maintained an interest in Ledley. When Pulis bid £6million back then he was bidding for a player with potential but now he will get a much better player for less cash.

Cardiff fans are resigned to lose Ledley even has much as Cardiff City boss Dave Jones would like him to stay the new offer is unlikely to change his mind. The feeling among fans that going to the Premiership fair enough but going anywhere else would be a major disappointment. The reason for him leaving the Bluebirds he has insisted was for Premiership football. He has been liked to loads of clubs home and abroad, West Ham, Everton, Fulham, Celtic, Rangers, Roma, Panathinaikos, Galatasaray and Fenerbahce.

Swansea fan and ex-footballer John Hartson thrown in his ten pence worth in an interview in today’s South Wales Echo. He reckons Ledley is to slow for the big time lacking pace and that why bigger clubs have not show interest. He even doesn’t think he is good enough for his old club Celtic noting he would be a decent signing not a great one great with he believes a host of present Celtic players ahead of him.

He also thing Stoke City’s style play will not suit him has they will just kick the ball over his head. So what did he have to say,

“Joe lacks pace.

“He is a left-sided player who keeps it moving.

“To be fair, I do like him.

“He’s experienced after winning plenty of caps for Wales and he’s also played a lot of games for Cardiff.

“But the lack of pace may be the reason bigger clubs haven’t come in for him.

“He’s a hard worker and as honest as the day is long.

“Joe is out of contract so Celtic would get him for next to nothing.

“I think he would be a decent signing. Not a great signing, but a decent one. However, Neil Lennon (the Celtic boss) has got to bring in better than decent signings, but he is held back by his budget.

“I don’t know if Joe is any better than Scott Brown or Aiden McGeady or the others at Parkhead.

“Stoke City are interested, but they’d just hit it over his head at Stoke anyway.”

Quotes from South Wales Echo