Stoke boss looking to reunite with Northern Ireland international

Corry.Evans_.Blackburn.TEAMtalk

Stoke City manager Michael O’Neil is looking to bring the familiar face of Northern Ireland international Corry Evans to the Bet365 stadium, according to reports. 

The midfielder has been a regular feature with O’Neil on the international stage, and now the Stoke City boss has identified the Blackburn player as a top target during the January transfer window according to StokeOnTrentLive (via Football Insider)

The 29-year-old has been in and out of Tony Mowbray’s starting XI this season, featuring 13 times in all competitions with a total of 200 minutes under his belt.

Evans’ versatility has attracted the attention of O’Neil as he can play in midfield and in defence, an asset which would be a welcomed addition to the stadium.

Like his brother Jonny at Leicester City, Evans played for Manchester United as a youngster before joining Hull for two seasons.

He then signed for Blackburn in 2013 and has since amassed nearly 200 appearances for the club.

The Stoke boss faces the issue of prying Evans from an injury-riddled Blackburn side who will not want to leave themselves lacking in depth for the second half of the season.

O’Neil has a full complement of midfielders at his disposal, but faces the threat of star man Joe Allen leaving for West Ham which means he will require reinforcements as his side continues to try avoid the drop.

Meanwhile, a Middlesbrough star is set for a return to West Ham.

The player made the swap to Middlesbrough in 2017 but faces a return following an injury-hit season.