Stoke City join Derby County, Plymouth Argyle in January striker race | OneFootball

Liverpool forward Jayden Danns is a target for multiple Championship clubs on loan this month, including Stoke City.

Stoke City have joined a number of clubs in the race for Liverpool's young striker Jayden Danns this month, with various Championship sides eyeing a loan deal for the 19-year-old.

At the beginning of the current winter window, it was revealed by Darren Witcoop that the relegation-threatened duo of Cardiff City and Plymouth Argyle had sent enquiries to Liverpool over the possibility of striking a deal for the attacker.

Witcoop has since revealed that the Potters have joined the race for a player with just two competitive appearances for the Premier League leaders this season, with both coming in the EFL Cup and FA Cup.

Football League World have exclusively revealed that both Derby County and Millwall are among the Championship sides who cast a scouting mission over Liverpool's Jayden Danns on Wednesday night.

The Rams and the Lions are weighing up a January move for the young forward alongside several other second tier clubs, after watching the 19-year-old in action in the Premier League International Cup for the Reds' Under-21's side, who were beaten 3-1 by Sparta Prague, despite Danns getting on the scoresheet.

Stoke City eye Jayden Danns as a Tom Cannon replacement

It's no surprise that the forward, who has enjoyed an impressive breakthrough into the first-team picture at Anfield under Jürgen Klopp and Arne Slot, is in demand.

In the summer, Plymouth were first reported to be interested in Danns by TEAMtalk, who claimed that Wayne Rooney was looking to bolster his attacking options and had identified the Liverpool forward. In late December, it was reported by Alan Nixon via Patreon that Derby had joined the "growing list" of potential suitors looking to take the forward on loan for the remainder of the season.

However, in the latest developments regarding a potential loan switch to the second tier for the 19-year-old, Stoke are eyeing a move for him, per Witcoop. Tom Cannon was announced yesterday morning as being recalled by Leicester, which many presume is ahead of a potential sale.

It leaves Mark Robins short of striking options, and Danns could be one to help fill that void. It's not yet clear just how likely a drop-down to the Championship is for the highly-rated teenage forward, but Lewis Koumas' development may give them an edge in any race.

With Stoke struggling to employ a player capable of making the most out of situations in the final third and putting the ball in the back of the net, there is plenty of emphasis on recruiting the right man in the next few weeks, with Danns’ latest cameo helping his reputation once again.

The attacker had only been on the pitch for four minutes against Accrington Stanley over the weekend when he managed to get himself on the scoresheet in the FA Cup, with his tenacity to retain possession on halfway rewarded by latching onto a loose ball in the penalty area to tuck the ball away.

Danns is the son of former Crystal Palace and Guyana midfielder, Neil Danns, and is currently making a name for himself in one of the biggest academies in England. He is already a powerful and athletic forward, and one who simply needs regular game time in senior football.

He has progressed through the Liverpool academy from a young age and is now close to earning more first-team opportunities. Last season, he scored 14 goals for the U-18 tean and three for the U-21 side, which ultimately earned him chances with the first-team under Jürgen Klopp's management.

The young striker made his Premier League debut last season as a late substitute in February, and a few weeks later he arguably achieved his career highlight so far. The youngster came on as a substitute against Southampton in the FA Cup and went onto score a brace to help Liverpool pick up a 3-0 win.

The fact so many other sides in the division are interested not only highlights Danns' future potential, but his current standpoint, and the chance to play regular men's football in such an intense environment will only be beneficial to his development.

For Stoke, should they land him ahead of fierce competition, he could be all the difference between relegation and survival in the coming months.