Sunderland and QPR are interested in Celtic winger Luis Palma, who is also drawing the eye of Stoke City and Swansea City. (Football Insider, external)
Millwall defender Dan McNamara is a subject of interest for Stoke, with the 26-year-old out of favour at the Den. (The72, external)
Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday's gossip here.
Image source, Rex FeaturesSaturday's 1-1 draw at The Hawthorns stretched Mark Robins' record as Stoke City boss to three games unbeaten
Stoke City boss Mark Robins has warned that Portsmouth will be a tough nut to crack on their own patch ahead of Wednesday's trip to Fratton Park.
The Potters are unbeaten in five games since the sacking of Narcis Pelach, having beaten Sunderland under caretaker boss Ryan Shawcross, who also oversaw a 0-0 draw at Burnley, before the two league draws under Robins either side of the FA Cup extra-time win in the rematch with Sunderland.
But Pompey, just two points behind the Potters in 22nd, are unbeaten at home since late October, having won five and drawn one of their past six games at Fratton Park, including a 4-1 come-from-behind win over Robins' old club Coventry City and a 4-0 victory over Swansea City.
"They're a bit up and down away," said Robins. "But they've done really well at home. They've got some good, honest players on the back of a good promotion.
"And it's that time of year when teams down there start to pick up points. They had another good win on Saturday (at home to Middlesbrough) and they'll be in a positive mood."
Robins is again without Ben Pearson, who "might be ready for a game with the Under-21s next week", and Ben Gibson, who is "hopefully not too far away" from returning to action.
Midfielder Lynden Gooch "will be able to train soon" and front man Million Manhoef is "making steady progress" after seven games out, but there is no word yet on the severity of teenager Sol Sidibe's back injury.
At least the disappointment of losing on-loan Tom Cannon was countered by teenager Nathan Lowe scoring at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday on his return from Walsall.
But Robins knows he needs to strengthen before deadline day on Monday, 3 February.
"Out of possession, the players have been really good," he said. "If you've got that, you've got a platform to build from. But we need a squad.
"That's something we're trying to put right as quickly as we can. We're trying to do one or two bits of business to alleviate some areas we need to address."
Portsmouth continued their impressive home form by beating Middlesbrough 2-1 on Saturday to extend their unbeaten run at Fratton Park to six games (W5 D1).
Pompey have gained 19 points from 12 home games (W5 D4 L3) this season, compared to seven points from 14 away matches.
Stoke City are unbeaten in their past four Championship matches (W1 D3), following a 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion at the weekend, but are still searching for a first league win under new boss Mark Robins (P2 D2).
Portsmouth have lost each of their past three league games against Stoke, including a 6-1 defeat in the reverse fixture in October.
Stoke have won two of their past 12 away league games against Portsmouth (W2 D4 L6), but could win on successive trips there in the EFL for the first time, following a 2-1 win in the Premier League in February 2010.
Portsmouth have lost five of their seven midweek league games this season (W1 D1 L5), with Pompey failing to score in four of those matches.
Stoke have won three of their past four Championship games against newly promoted sides (W3 L1).
Robins is yet to win as a visiting manager against Portsmouth in the EFL (D1 L2), drawing 3-3 on his last trip with Coventry City in League One in August 2019.
Stoke City, Coventry City, QPR and Millwall are battling for the signature of Crystal Palace's Jeffrey Schlupp. (Football Insider), external
Sheffield United have agreed a £10m deal with Leicester City to sign striker Tom Cannon after he was recalled from a loan spell with Stoke City. (Sky Sports), external
Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Tuesday's gossip column here.
Ged Scott at The Hawthorns
BBC Sport England
Image source, PA MediaNathan Lowe's only previous goal for Stoke was a last-minute winner at Bristol City in September 2023 - just 12 days after his 18th birthday
Stoke City boss Mark Robins praised the instant impact of Nathan Lowe who started back with his parent club just as he had left off at Walsall.
A week earlier, Lowe had scored his sixth goal in five games for League Two leaders Walsall in a 5-1 lunchtime win over Tranmere Rovers - to take his tally to 18 in his Saddlers loan spell.
With 15 in the league, the England Under-19 international was the EFL's joint top marksman with Norwich City's Borja Sainz and Stockport County's Louie Barry.
After being recalled last Sunday night by Stoke, 16 months on from his last goal for the Potters, Lowe netted again to become the EFL's leading striker on his own.
"He's only 19 and he has so much potential," Robins told BBC Sport. "He's an intelligent boy, who asks intelligent questions.
"I'm so pleased for him. He's come back full of confidence from scoring goals for Walsall – and they've obviously done a good job with him.
"He took his chance really well. He got himself in a good position and his finish was great.
"When we didn't score a second goal, you're always in danger of conceding and they were doing more attacking than us second half.
"But I'm happy to have come here and got a point. You can tell what a good side they are and why they are up there at this end of the league. They were always a threat."
Having gone five games unbeaten - three of them under new boss Robins - Stoke's third straight draw sets them up for a tough midweek trip to Portsmouth who sit four places below Stoke in 22nd, but just two points behind.
Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City have cooled their interest in a loan move for Wolves midfielder Luke Cundle after competition from Bristol City, Swansea and Millwall. (The 72, external)
Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip here.
Stoke City look to capitalise on an uptick of form as they visit West Bromwich Albion on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
The Potters are undefeated across their last four matches, including a victory against promotion-contenders Sunderland in the FA Cup on the weekend.
However, they will be without top scorer Tom Cannon after he was recalled by parent club Leicester City and are still in the midst relegation danger.
Meanwhile, Albion are in the battle for a playoff spot but have also seen their top scorer Josh Maja ruled out through injury.
After losing each of their three league games against Stoke City between January 2020 and April 2022, West Brom are since unbeaten across their last five EFL matches against the Potters (W3 D2).
Stoke have won just two of their last nine away league games against West Brom (D2 L5), failing to score more than one goal in all but one of those matches during that time.
West Brom have won their last three home games, last winning four in a row in the Championship in February 2024 (5 in a row).
Stoke have kept a clean sheet in each of their last three league games, with the last two ending goalless. The Potters have only drawn 3+ league games in a row 0-0 twice before, in March 2003 (3) and March 2019 (4).
Stoke goalkeeper Viktor Johansson has made the most saves in the 2024-25 Championship campaign (98) while he has also prevented the most goals in the division this term according to Opta's expected goals on target model (13.5 – 41.5xG, 28 conceded).
Image source, Rex FeaturesRyan Shawcross first took charge of Stoke for an EFL Trophy match against Fleetwood Town in September
Former Stoke City captain Ryan Shawcross has been promoted to the role of first-team coach by the Championship club.
The 37-year-old steps up from Under-21s coach, replacing former Crewe boss Alex Morris - who is leaving the club - in manager Mark Robins' backroom team.
Shawcross, who played 453 games for the Potters between 2008 and 2021, was in charge for two games prior to Robins' appointment, taking four points out of six against Sunderland and Burnley.
He retired from playing in 2022 but returned to the Bet365 Stadium the following year as part of the academy coaching staff.
Dave Hibbert has replaced Shawcross as U21s coach, with Darren Potter taking over from him in charge of the U18s.
Image source, Getty ImagesJunior Tchamadeu joined Stoke from Colchester in September 2023
Stoke City full-back Junior Tchamadeu says the players are in "a good place", two weeks after new manager Mark Robins arrived.
The 21-year-old, who was named the Potters' player of the month for December, says performances have been "good as a collective" following a four-game unbeaten run, including the 2-1 victory at Sunderland in the FA Cup on Saturday.
"We're growing with each other, which is important - we're full of confidence," the Cameroon defender told BBC Radio Stoke.
Tchamadeu has been deployed at right-back in a back-four since Narcis Pelach left, both under temporary boss Ryan Shawcross and now Robins, as opposed to playing in a back-five.
"I feel I'm able to give the team what I was brought in to do," he said. "Having that freedom to do that is always going to help my game.
"I'm enjoying my football now. That's helped me a lot and it's helped the team."
Tchamadeu says Robins sets "high demands" but that it's "exactly what we want and it's what we need".
"We need high expectations, we need demands from each other, as players, as staff and everyone around the building," he said.
"Without these demands, we won't progress. It's important for us as a collective to have a demanding manager who will take no nonsense.
"He [Robins] knows the division inside and out, so with that experience it's going to help us."
Stoke City have an anxious wait ahead as striker Tom Cannon could be recalled by parent club Leicester, with manager Ruud van Nistelrooy saying "there are decisions to be made". (Stoke Sentinel), external
Both Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday are keen to sign Cannon if he becomes available. (Yorkshire Post), external
Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Tuesday's gossip here.
Stoke could lose loan striker Tom Cannon this week, if Leicester decide to recall him and send him elsewhere, with Sunderland, Luton, Sheffield United and Wednesday all monitoring the 22-year-old Republic of Ireland forward. (Leicester Mercury, external)
Burnley boss Scott Parker is prepared to part ways with Hjalmar Ekdal and Hannes Delcroix this month, putting QPR, Stoke, Rangers and a clutch of continental clubs on high alert. (Football League World, external)
Want more EFL transfer stories? Read Sunday's full gossip column.
