Stoke City are one of several clubs who are interested in Plymouth's Luke Jephcott.

The 21-year-old has established himself as one of the most exciting talents in the Football League, after enjoying a real breakthrough campaign in League One, hitting 16 goals in 24 games so far.

Unsurprisingly, that has seen the striker come on the radar of several clubs in higher leagues, with the Sun reporter Alan Nixon revealing that the Potters are one of those.

"Stoke. Making serious checks on Jephcott at Plymouth. May be the goalscorer they lack. Others tracking too."

As he points out, Michael O'Neill's side have struggled for goals this season, so bringing in a new number nine is sure to be a priority for the Staffordshire outfit in the summer.

Attacking midfielder Nick Powell is the club's top scorer in the league with just eight so far in this campaign, and only three players in the squad have scored more than two goals in the Championship for Stoke.

The club won't have a free run for the player though, as Nottingham Forest have been linked with Jephcott in the past, whilst he signed a long-term deal with Argyle last summer, so they will be under no pressure to sell.

The verdict

This would be a very exciting signing for Stoke as Jephcott has been outstanding for Plymouth in the past 18 months, whilst he still has room to improve.

It's the exact sort of signing that the Potters should be looking to make, and he would certainly fit the profile for the type of squad that O'Neill is trying to build.

Clearly, there will be plenty of competition for Jephcott in the summer, and he may command a significant fee, but it could be a bargain for whoever lands the player.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.