Stoke City are reportedly eyeing up a late move for Aberdeen forward Sam Cosgrove, according to Football Insider.

The 23-year-old, who joined the Dons in 2018 following a brief stint at Carlisle United, is also thought to be the subject of interest from Middlesbrough and Lazio.

Whilst The Sun journalist Alan Nixon reported yesterday that the Potters were willing to pay £2m for Cosgrove, Aberdeen may not allow him to leave until they receive an offer in region of £7m.

Since making the switch to Scottish football, the forward has managed to deliver the goods on a consistent basis for Derek McInnes' side.

One of Aberdeen's star performers during the previous campaign, Cosgrove helped the club achieve a fourth place finish in the Scottish Premiership by finding the back of the net on 16 occasions in 30 league appearances.

Currently in sensational form for the Dons, the forward has already scored 21 goals in all competitions this season.

Given that the Potters have only managed to net 36 goals in 29 Championship fixtures, it could be argued that manager Michael O'Neill may need to strengthen his attacking options between now and deadline day.

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The Verdict

When you consider just how impressive Cosgrove has been for Aberdeen in recent months, it is hardly surprising that he is attracting interest from a number of clubs.

However, if the Dons are indeed unwilling to sell the forward for less than £7m, it could be argued that Stoke ought to consider steering clear of matching the Scottish side's valuation.

Although Cosgrove has an excellent track-record north of the border, there is no guarantee that he will be able to cope with the competitiveness of the Championship having never played in this particular division before.

Therefore, O'Neill ought to instead be looking into the possibility of signing a forward who knows exactly what it takes to thrive in the second-tier.