by Martin Spinks
martin.spinks@thesentinel.co.uk

STOKE City may buy Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Alex Smithies and then loan him back to the League One club if they can seal a deal for the teenage star next month.

Stoke are one of several Premier League clubs who have been linked with a £3m move for the 19-year-old in recent weeks.

Huddersfield insist they are in no rush to sell, but may soften their stance if a loan-back deal can be arranged.

And that could suit Stoke as they decide on the future of their current number two, Steve Simonsen, ahead of his contract expiring next summer.

Simonsen could be sold and immediately replaced in January, kept in reserve and released on a free when his contract expires next June, or offered another contract should Stoke decide to retain his services as back-up to Thomas Sorensen.

Smithies, meanwhile, has been attracting widespread attention this season after only just completing his first 12 months in Huddersfield’s senior side.

An England representative at under-17, 18 and 19s, the Huddersfield-born keeper, who isn’t 20 until March, is widely tipped to graduate shortly to the under-21s.

Former Manchester City legend Joe Corrigan, now an FA scout since leaving West Bromwich Albion as goalkeeping coach six months ago, has been among the multitude keeping a close eye on his recent progress.

Smithies, whose is represented by one-time Manchester City goalkeeper Tony Coton, won his chance in the Huddersfield goal in between Stan Ternent leaving as manager and Lee Clark arriving as boss this time last year.

He signed a new four-year contract in the summer, but it is widely assumed the smallprint includes numerous escape clauses should Stoke come knocking, as sources at the club suggest they will.

Clark, in what might be nothing more than an attempt to bump up the asking price, has recently said both Smithies and fellow teenager Jordan Rhodes would be better served sticking with Huddersfield’s current attempts to win promotion to the Championship.

“My advice to them,” said Clark, “is to keep on doing what has put them in the public eye in the first place.

“They are both playing regular first-team football at 19, whereas they could spend 18 months being third, fourth or fifth choice at a Premier League club and that would stop their development.

“Reserve football is just an extension of the Academy game these days because so few clubs put out strong teams.

“Playing first-team football at this level has to be better than playing the equivalent of Academy at a Premier League club.

“We don’t need to sell them, so it would take a ridiculous offer for us to even give it a thought.

“The money which is being bandied around in the national press wouldn’t even make us send a reply.”

Unless that loan-back option is offered as a bargaining chip, perhaps.