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 have emerged as one of several Championship clubs monitoring the situation of Ipswich Town's Flynn Downes, as reported by Football Insider.
The 22-year-old was subject to bids from Premier League outfit Crystal Palace last year, which The Tractors Boys rejected and Downes subsequently handed in a transfer request.
Since then, and after recovering from a knee injury suffered at the start of the season, Downes became a vital role in Ipswich's midfield, and has attracted the interest of the higher division.
Downes has been training with the League One club's U23 squad, as Paul Cook starts his rebuild of the club after taking over in March.
With Stoke now joining the chase for the highly rated midfielder, we asked the team at FLW about The Potters' interest and whether it would be a good move...
Adam Jones
Even though he seems to be involved in the Potters' first-team squad as they travel to Northern Ireland, Sam Clucas' future remains uncertain after previously being linked with a move to West Brom.
Their potential midfield departures aren't stopping there, with Joe Allen's future also looking uncertain at the bet365 Stadium, outcast Oghenekaro Etebo moving to Premier League side Watford on loan and former Potters Ryan Woods and John Obi Mikel also departing Staffordshire this summer.
After a crazy summer of spending in 2018 that has hampered them since, they need a few cheap deals to bolster their squad and that's exactly what Flynn Downes would be, with the midfielder becoming surplus to requirements at Ipswich Town and manager Paul Cook looking to push him out the door.
The recent signing of Mario Vrancic is a good start for Stoke, now they need one or two more central midfielders to come in.
Downes would be a shrewd addition, much-needed - and he's a player with a point to prove after being left out in the cold at Ipswich.
Phil Spencer
This would be a strong addition for Stoke City.
Flynn Downes is a player who is destined for big things after establishing himself as a key player for Ipswich Town.
After some impressive displays it certainly looks like he could be ready to step up to life in the Championship.
Michael O'Neill is undergoing something of a rebuild with Stoke City and bringing in a player with such potential could be a big boost.
It might take him a while to settle in but I don't think it would be long until he's a regular starter for the Potters.
George Dagless
I think he could be.
There could well be an opening for a new midfielder in the Stoke City squad with some of the recent exits and links concerning players moving on, and Downes might be able to go in there and help them out.
He's obviously got quality and the likes of Crystal Palace were keen on him last summer so I do think he's good enough to maybe make that step into the Championship now and show what he can do, with a few fitness problems last season probably meaning he's not going to get a PL move just yet.
Even so, for Stoke he could be a hit and I think it's one Potters fans would really get behind.