Birmingham City player should be open to Stoke City summer switch: Opinion | OneFootball

Stoke City entered talks to try and take Birmingham City goalkeeper Neil Etheridge on loan during the January transfer window, according to Alan Nixon.

Although they brought in Matija Sarkic, he's only on loan at the bet365 Stadium and it's currently unclear whether they will be able to secure a permanent deal for the Wolverhampton Wanderers man.

That's why the Potters need to draw up a shortlist of other keepers to pursue during the summer, with the goalkeeping department possibly in need of a rebuild considering Jack Bonham and Frank Fielding are out of contract in the summer.

Etheridge is one man who could be available during the summer, though it remains to be seen whether he will move on from St Andrew's.

Reportedly on £23,000-per-week, the Philippines international may be open to seeing out the final year of his deal in the Midlands but if he wants to move on, John Eustace's side would probably sanction an exit considering the amount he's on.

Etheridge would probably need to take a sizeable wage cut if he's to move to Stoke - but the Potters could potentially afford to fork out more on wages if he can bring him in for nothing.

Reducing the wage bill has to be at the top of Birmingham's priority list so they may be willing to let the keeper go for free - and Stoke could potentially capitalise on that by recruiting him.

The player should be willing to make this move too - because although he's reportedly on a decent salary in the Midlands - he will want to be playing as much as possible to show his current side why he should have played more at St Andrew's.

A switch to the bet365 Stadium also means he won't have to move to the other end of the country and that should mean that it won't take him long to adapt to life in Staffordshire, something that will only help him in his quest to make an immediate impact.

It's currently unclear whether any other keeper will come in at Stoke during the summer if he seals a move - but he surely has a better chance of starting there than at Birmingham with John Ruddy remaining ahead of him in the pecking order.