Transfer news and gossip from Stoke City as Alex Neil is tasked with building a competitive squad for the new season

Four six-figure bids have reportedly been accepted for Australia winger Sammy Silvera – with speculation that one of them is from Stoke City.

Silvera, aged 22, has been linked with clubs including Middlesbrough, Plymouth Argyle and Hearts, as well as Stoke, after a stand-out season for Central Coast Mariners, who have been crowned A-League champions. The Daily Record now claims his valuation has been met, a move is looming and a decision will be made as to where in the next 24 to 48 hours.

Hearts, having made several offers for the London-born Australia under-23s international, are believed to have fallen short with their latest and it remains to be seen if they go back into the bidding at the 11th hour.

Silvera has found eye-catching form under manager Nick Montgomery, the former Sheffield United midfielder, and capped his latest campaign with a star turn in a 6-1 Grand Final win over Melbourne City. He had only returned to the club in 2022, three years after moving to Europe to sign for Pacos de Ferreira in the Portuguese top flight, where his progress was disrupted by injuries.

He spent last season on loan at Newcastle Jets before moving up the coast to join Mariners. Now he is believed to be on the fringes of the Australia senior team and has a reputation for blistering pace and, increasingly, end product. He scored eight times and chipped in with another six assists.

Mariners owner Richard Peil said: “There has been a lot of interest in Sammy – and justifiably so – from multiple clubs in both the UK and Asia. There have been several concrete offers to go along with that but nothing has been decided yet. Personal success gets players noticed and Sammy deserves the attention, and as a club we’re not surprised either

“His class was there for all to see at the back end of the season, and of course in the grand final, and it’s no shock that the phone has been ringing off the hook to ask about him. We are not in the business of standing in the way of players if they really want to go elsewhere to help their career.

“However, I genuinely feel Sammy would benefit greatly from another year in the A-League. There’s a fine line there sometimes. He’s been overseas before and returned home to kick start things again. He knows he’s going to play regularly here where he would benefit greatly from another year under the guidance of Monty (Nick Montgomery) and Serg (coach Sérgio Raimundo).”