Boss Roy Keane has confirmed Stoke City’s interest in skipper Jon Walters, but says the clubs are yet to agree a fee. Yesterday, Walters was linked with a £3 million move to the Britannia Stadium.

The Town manager says talks have been continuing throughout the close season: “We’ve had loads of discussions with Stoke all summer."

Asked whether he thought that Stoke would be successful in their move, Keane said: "If they reach an offer that the owner feels is acceptable, like every other player on the planet. There’s a good chance [that he’ll go]."

The Blues boss says he doesn’t expect the move to be completed for a couple of weeks: “I think he’ll be with us for Saturday.

“I think if anything it’s going to be the next week or two, obviously the Premiership doesn’t start for another week or so and there’s usually fun and games in the negotiations as you’d expect, particularly with certain clubs and certain managers, so I’d expect this one to drag on a little bit longer.

“Jon’s aware of it, but it’s obviously very hard to stop a player when they have the opportunity to play in the Premiership, but the players are also under contract here.”

A number of other clubs are also chasing Walters’s signature, with QPR previously claimed to have had a £2.5 million offer rebuffed by the Blues.

Photo: Action Images

bedsitfc added 15:48 - Aug 5 like others have said not quite a wide midfielder or striker, but a good all rounder. shame to see him go but it may fund more needed players.
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Monkey_Blue1987 added 15:48 - Aug 5 they must b potty!!!
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Seasonticketsteve added 15:50 - Aug 5 "Unbeliveably close to signing a new striker to & that Chopra is not the only striker on the planet" Keane quoted in the same interview
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cphtractor added 15:54 - Aug 5 Do not like Stoke and loathe Tony "the boring cheat" Pulis.
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SMS added 15:57 - Aug 5 We were unbelievably close to signing Fulop and that took nearly a month. Where's the interview Steve?
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salforduniblue added 15:59 - Aug 5 Nice dig at Pulis there by Keano, I hate him so much. You're in the Prem! You're a manager! Ditch the cap and put on a bloody suit you scruff!
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Seasonticketsteve added 16:05 - Aug 5 Definitely nothing before the boro game but he "IS" very close to bringing in a new striker, not saying who at the moment, typical Keane!
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Seasonticketsteve added 16:09 - Aug 5 With regards to Walters "Every player has a price"
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otleyblue added 16:09 - Aug 5 Hope he can make the step up , That is if he go? if so £3M a good bit of business
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Upbeat~ added 16:12 - Aug 5 Best of luck to Jon if he does end up going but let's not let stoke's interest in our captain stop him from playing against the boro. The team's paper-thin as it is and against the supposed champs we're gonna need all our leaders on that pitch. Strachan's imports are tough guys and i can see a luke hyam or a reggie lambe getting picked on out there without due protection. COYB!

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StowTractorBoy added 16:18 - Aug 5 Heaven knows where this £3m tag came from but there is no way Stoke will pay that. What does Keane or Walters do now - play him Saturday and risk an injury or forget him for what could be the whole of August.
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dano24blue added 16:18 - Aug 5 hello all, my first post, i saw walters a while ago at tesco copdock, it was the night before the peterborough cup tie away and we had a little chat, he really didn't seem the type of guy to lead, he didn't seem bothered about our poor form and he seemed like he really didn't want to be at the club, i said 'good luck for tomorrow's game' and he said in as much words 'pfff,we need it' before getting into his bmw and speeding off.

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Alexsandr_Orlov added 16:29 - Aug 5 My Grandaddy Vitali says McGready has asked for 48 hours to consider Moscow. Funny only took me 2 minutes decide to leave.....still.....If Walters deal is tied up with McGready, then we know in 48 hrs too......Simples!!
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Rayner_ITFC97 added 16:54 - Aug 5 Good luck walters , One of the few of our players who put 100 % in every game Now buy chopra !
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robdaful added 16:58 - Aug 5 Knowing our club and the fees people have been offering us it is probably only 300k but some numpty from the media had problems counting the 0's. But if it is 3m then great. I only rate walters at 1 - 1.5m so not bad. Looking foward to signing a striker. Hope its worth the wait. And hope its not David Healy or Roy Donovan.
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jas0999 added 17:42 - Aug 5 I think it was all said yesterday. If it's £3M then that's great business.
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TractorRoyNo1 added 17:54 - Aug 5 straight swap for Beattie?
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lezoad added 18:30 - Aug 5 we'll take the money good luck Jon
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blue_floyd added 18:53 - Aug 5 £3m for Walters would be good business, seeing as we only paid £100,000 for him. Personally, I wouldn't let him go until we have a decent replacement lined up. Our squad is threadbare at the moment, but money talks.
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Len_Brennan added 19:05 - Aug 5 Looks like Beattie could be on his way to Blackburn, but a swap for Walters wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. Maybe Ricardo Fuller is a more likely signing for us.
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spursrscum added 19:32 - Aug 5 3m - great deal for itfc
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Keaneish added 20:14 - Aug 5 Right! Enough of this Bulls**t please! Walters go, Chopra plus 2 in. You've got 7 days Keane. I've been a staunch fan for a year but i'm out of patience now...even in pre-season. No love for Kennedy or Fulop deals however good they may or may not be when what we need in our side is cutting edge. Do it otherwise i'm with the boo boys...as i rightly was at Watford away last season!!! Sort it.

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ipswichsupporter88 added 20:41 - Aug 5 im dissapointed not to have strikers comming in before middlesborough. but hopefuly we'll have signings in time for Burnley!!!
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Mark added 20:52 - Aug 5 Why is everyone celebrating a £3M fee when Keane says the clubs have yet to agree a fee? It will probably be "undisclosed" so perhaps we'll never know.
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arc123 added 21:17 - Aug 5 Swap for Glen Whelan? (to replace Garvan) Good luck Jon.
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