Stoke City have moved to join Nottingham Forest in the hunt to sign Burnley defender Kevin Long.

The big defender is a wanted man it would seem, and according to Alan Nixon, the Potters are now keen on signing the 28-year-old, who has been attracting the interest of Nottingham Forest over the last few days.

Long is down the pecking order at Turf Moor thanks to the form of the likes of Ben Mee and James Tarkowski, while the Clarets also have big money signing Ben Gibson in the ranks, who also cannot seemingly get a game under Sean Dyche.

[ad_pod ]

Stoke manager Nathan Jones was looking to completely overhaul his squad in the summer after a disappointing season which saw the club finish down in mid-table in the Championship, and he will no doubt see Long as someone who can bring experience and quality to his back four.

Indeed, the severe injury to key man Ryan Shawcross has also opened up a space in the defence at the Bet365 Stadium, and Long would seemingly fit the mould of someone who can come in and slot straight into the picture if needed.

However, Stoke will know they face a fight for Long, with Forest manager Sabri Lamouchi keen on adding the defender to his own ranks as he looks to shore up the Reds' defence.

The Verdict

Long would be a shrewd signing for any Championship club so it's no surprise to see Stoke sniffing around him.

Shawcross's injury has left a massive void for the Potters, and put simply, they need to bring someone in to replace him.

Long has been a good servant and a model professional for the Clarets, but with first-team football bound to be minimal next year, he might well fancy the move to one of Stoke or Forest.