AMSTERDAM – Despite continued transfer interest in US national team handyman Geoff Cameron, MLSsoccer.com has learned that none of the suitors have managed to name the right price to still-reluctant sellers Stoke City.
Multiple English sources have confirmed that English Premier League rivals Hull City, Leicester City, Southampton and Sunderland are still making Cameron overtures to the Potters, as reported by NBC Sports on Monday.
In addition, name-brand Serie A side Lazio could line up the 29-year-old Massachusetts native before the transfer window closes early next week, but MLSsoccer.com has learned that the Biancocelesti must first deal with a player sale of their own.
However, Cameron rep Gary Mellor informed MLSsoccer.com that Stoke manager Mark Hughes would prefer to hang onto the American, who went the distance in 40 of his 41 overall appearances for the boss last term. Cameron did not dress for the team's league opener, as the coach gave his World Cup 2014 participants an additional vacation, and remained a bench spectator during their weekend draw at Hull.
The main issue making it possible that Cameron would accept a move is that all but one of those Stoke matches from last season were played at right back, while he would rather take up a post in central defense or midfield. All four of the aforementioned interested parties from the EPL are looking to bolster their centerback stable.
In particular, Southampton look likely to stay in the Cameron race to its eventual end. Not only are the Saints looking to replace Liverpool summer recruit Dejan Lovren in the heart of their defense, but they are quite concerned about the growing transfer buzz around defensive midfield ace Morgan Schneiderlin.
Cameron, who moved from the Houston Dynamo to Stoke two summers ago, also had varying levels of interest from the likes of Anderlecht, PSV Eindhoven, Schalke and West Bromwich Albion earlier in the summer. To date, the 2009 MLS Best XI selection has worked 79 contests across all competitions for Stoke.
