Tommy Smith isn’t signing for Stoke City today.
Based on a picture on twitter from a Huddersfield Town fan in Austria social media went into meltdown on the claim that he had left their training camp to head off for transfer talks.
Celtic have been linked with the right-back over the last couple of weeks but hopes of finally filling a problem position were dashed when the Daily Record claimed that Smith was on route to complete a move to Stoke City.
This morning the publisher closest to the truth, with a reporter on the ground in Austria cleared things up. Smith isn’t undergoing a medical at Celtic or Stoke, he is still with Huddersfield in Austria!
The Examiner reported:
According to the Daily Record in Scotland, Town’s Championship rivals Stoke City had emerged as favourites after agreeing to meet Town’s asking price of around £4m, with Celtic around £1.5m short of that valuation.
So where was the 27-year-old last night?
He was with the Town squad in their hotel in Austria and not, as had been suggested, on his way to link up with Stoke City – who are being reported as setting up a medical for the former Manchester City right-back, who has been a Terrier for the last six years.
It has also been revealed, following investigations by ExaminerLive Town reporter Steven Chicken in Austria, that there have NOT been any Celtic representatives in the country to pursue interest in Smith, even though he was said to be high on manager Neil Lennon’s wish list.
At midnight the Record reported:
But Record Sport understands Smith has opted to remain in the Championship after the Potters met the asking price and a deal is set to be sealed on Thursday. The full back was spotted leaving Huddersfield’s training camp in Austria on Wednesday but was heading to Staffordshire rather than Glasgow.
After the summer departures of Mikael Lustig, Cristian Gamboa and Jeremy Toljan Celtic were left with Tony Ralston as the only right-back at the club.
Against Sarajevo in midweek Neil Lennon opted for a back three in the first half before switching to a conventional back four after the break with Kris Ajer playing at right-back.
Let’s hope that Andrew has recovered from his distressing experience at the All England Club yesterday.https://t.co/Fy4sgVfBVR
— Joe McHugh (@videocelts) July 11, 2019
