This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...
Stoke City manager Nathan Jones has bolstered his squad with the signing of Tottenham Hotspur defender Cameron Carter-Vickers on a season-long loan, as confirmed on the club website.
The 21-year-old centre-back, has yet to make a Premier League appearance for Spurs having spent all of last season on loan at Swansea City, whilst previously enjoying half-season loan spells in the Championship with Ipswich Town and Sheffield United in 2017/18.
So will Carter-Vickers be a good addition at the bet365 Stadium and will he start?
We discuss........
Sam Rourke
"It's a useful addition, but Stoke do already have a number of centre-backs on the books.
"The Potters already have Nathan Collins, Danny Batth, Bruno Martins Indi, Liam Lindsay, and Ryan Shawcross - so I do wonder if he's been brought in just as extra cover.
"Shawcross is of course injured and is set to miss a large amount of the season, so I can see the logic in that respect, but I feel Carter-Vickers could have benefitted from joining a club other than Stoke, whose need for a centre-back was perhaps more desperate.
"The centre-back enjoyed fairly productive spells at Ipswich and Sheffield United, and he'll be hoping for frequent game-time and I'm sceptical whether it'll happen at the Potters."
Josh Cole
“This could turn out to be a very shrewd signing by Stoke City providing that Carter-Vickers can hit the ground running at the bet365 Stadium.
“With central defender Ryan Shawcross set to miss a considerable chunk of the 2019/20 campaign due to injury, the Potters were in desperate need of some cover in his position and thus by bringing in the 21-year-old, they may have unearthed the perfect replacement.
“Far from being a stranger to the Championship, Carter-Vickers featured on 30 occasions for Swansea City last season in this division, illustrating some real signs of promise under then-boss Graham Potter.
“If he can build upon his recent form in the second-tier for Stoke this season, there is no reason why Nathan Jones’ side cannot better the 16th place that they achieved during the previous campaign in 2020.”
[ad_pod ]
Ned Holmes
“I think this is a great addition to the Stoke side.
“Carter Vickers is quality defender, who showed last season at Swansea that he can thrive in the Championship.
“With Shawcross’ injury issues it provides Nathan Jones with some well-needed depth in the position.
“I’m not sure he will start against Charlton on Saturday, having come into the side so late but I do expect him to be in the first-team soon."