Rumour: newspaper claims Port Vale and Stoke City missed out on Northern Ireland midfielder
The Belfast Telegraph newspaper claims that Potteries rivals Stoke City and Port Vale were both showing an interest in teenaged Northern Ireland midfielder Terry Devlin.
Devlin was snapped up by League One rivals this week with Pompey boss John Mousinho commenting that: “Terry was one of the outstanding players in the Northern Irish league last season. He’s an attacking midfielder who adds qualities to our group that we perhaps don’t already have here. Terry can run, he can compete and he can score goals and I’m excited to bring such a talented prospect over to England.”
19 year-old Devlin is a Northern Ireland U21 International and has been training with the full International squad recently.
According to the Belfast Telegraph – “It is understood that Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Stoke, Port Vale and Lincoln were amongst the sides keeping tabs on the player with Portsmouth winning the race for his signature.”
The Valiants’ sole signing so far this summer is versatile midfielder Tom Sang who has joined on a free transfer from Championship side Cardiff City.