American Exports: Dutch, German, English clubs seeking loan deal for Stoke City's Brek Shea

Brek Shea with Stoke City

US national team and Stoke City midfielder Brek Shea continues to draw interest from teams across Europe, MLSSoccer.com has learned.

Sources close to the 24-year-old have indicated that the winger is being chased by a number of clubs across Europe after impressing Stoke City’s coaching staff with his attitude during preseason.



Shea moved to the Potters from FC Dallas in January 2013, but has made just three Premier League appearances since his arrival, with the Stoke Sentinel reporting earlier this month that the Texan had been cleared to leave the club on a loan deal in order to receive the first-team opportunities he will struggle to gain with Stoke this season.

Linked with a potential move to FC Utrecht in the Eredivisie – the club where former Stoke teammate Juan Agudelo spent part of last season and Rubio Rubin currently plies his trade – Shea was also discussed as a target for Bundesliga II side 1860 Munich.

With both clubs holding an interest in the midfielder, MLSsoccer.com has also learned that Shea is being courted by German club FC Nürnberg, as well as a number of English Championship sides including Birmingham City and Millwall.



The source also indicated that Shea had been subject to a loan offer with an option to buy from an unnamed MLS team, but the request was rejected by Stoke City.

The 2011 MLS MVP candidate was loaned out to Championship side Barnsley last season, and made eight appearances before his loan deal was cut short three weeks early following an incident with fans during a defeat to Huddersfield in March.

The current European summer transfer window closes September 1, but teams in the English lower divisions are permitted to sign players on loan from Sept. 10 through November 28.