"A problem" - Pundit issues £10m warning to Leicester City over West Brom, Sheffield United target | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer has given his verdict on the speculation surrounding Tom Cannon's future at Stoke City

Carlton Palmer has warned Leicester City that they may not get £10 million Stoke City loan striker Tom Cannon amid links to West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield United.

According to Alan Nixon, Leicester City have a recall clause on his loan spell at Stoke and could look to cash in on the forward on a permanent basis in January.

Cannon has scored four goals from five appearances in the Championship for the Potters, with all four coming in a 6-1 win over Portsmouth (all stats from Fbref).

But the Foxes have deemed the player surplus to requirements at the King Power Stadium and may bring him back in the winter market in order to facilitate a permanent sale.

It is understood that West Brom and Sheffield United are both interested in the forward, with a £10 million price tag having been set by the Premier League side.

Carlton Palmer makes Tom Cannon transfer claim

Palmer believes that a good run of goal-scoring form between now and the end of January could lead to Sheffield United or West Brom pursuing a deal for Cannon.

However, he has warned that the forward’s high wages will put off clubs from paying the £10 million fee to sign him on a permanent basis.

“Leicester City have made it very, very clear that the talented young footballer Tom Cannon, who has started his loan period with Stoke City exceptionally well, is a player that they want to offload,” Palmer told Football League World.

“They were asking for £10 million for him in the summer, but had no takers.

“I think a problem you have with Tom Cannon is he signed a five-year contract when he signed at the football club, and he’s on big money.

“So it’s not just the case of paying the big £10 million fee, it’s his salary.

“Clubs like West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield United, who will be very, very interested in the player, will be looking at, a, if they can afford it, and, b, can he do it in the Premier League?

“Because that’s what they’ll be looking to do by signing a player like Tom Cannon.

“But the Foxes were unable to get the £10 million fee for him in the summer, they have made it clear he’s surplus to requirements and they will listen to offers.

“I don’t think they will get the £10 million for him, given his wages.

“When you’re looking at Jay Stansfield, who went to Birmingham, he went for £15 million, but I’m assuming his salary is nowhere near Tom Cannon’s salary because you’re looking at the bigger picture.

“So, Sheffield United I’m sure, and West Bromwich Albion will be monitoring the situation.

“Obviously the deal was too rich for them in the summer, and maybe there’s a deal to be structured in January, knowing that he’s available to come back from Stoke.

“A lot will happen, we’ll see, and they’ll monitor his progress.

“If between now and the January transfer window deadline, Tom registers 14, 15 goals, that makes him a really, really hot commodity.

“I can’t see Sheffield United or West Brom paying that amount of money at this time, but if the Blades get new owners in then Chris Wilder will say ‘right, listen, this boy is scoring goals, we need to get back to the Premier League, he’s young, he’s 21, if he can get us 20, 21 goals in the Championship then there’s a chance he’ll score goals in the Premier League’.”

Tom Cannon’s difficult Leicester stint

Cannon signed for Leicester in the summer of 2023 from Everton, but managed just 13 appearances in the Championship last year as they clinched the title, including only three starts.

The forward scored twice and assisted once in that run, but was left out of their plans for life in the Premier League.

Injuries hampered his time at the King Power Stadium, and now a permanent departure could be on the cards in 2025.

The 21-year-old has made a promising start to life at Stoke, but it is still early days for his stint in Narcís Pelach’s side just yet.

Stoke will be wary of all the speculation surrounding Cannon’s future, and this has the potential to disrupt his loan spell.

The forward needs a consistent run of games in the team to get his career back on track after a difficult last 12 months or so.

His four goal salvo against Portsmouth showcased just how much potential he possesses, but he needs to perform at that level consistently if he’s to make the jump to the Premier League someday.