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

STOKE City goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen is the latest player at the Britannia Stadium to seek a new long-term contract.

A handful of his team-mates are also seeking extensions to their current deals as Stoke aim to safeguard the futures of their more prominent players.

Liam Lawrence and Ricardo Fuller have agreed new contracts in the recent past, while Ryan Shawcross isremains in talks over extending his present dealagreement.

Now Sorensen,who plays his 400th game in England against West Ham at the Brit tomorrow (3pm), wants to extend his stay beyond the scheduled finish of his current deal in June 2011.

Manager Tony Pulis said: “Thomas is one of four or five looking to have talks.

“He’s been a great signing after coming to us on a free last year. His presence and experience has been invaluable, while the fans seem to have taken to him as well.

“We are always thinking about the future, short and long-term, and that means keeping your best players.”

Sorensen was expected to rejoin his team-mates today after flying in from Denmark following his country’s successful qualification for next summer’s World Cup finals.

The 33-year-old is likely to feature in a changed line-up tomorrow, if Pulis continues this season’s tendency to surprise the opposition with his formation and personnel.

But he insists he is no tinkerman, say by stating: “I wouldn’t say I was a tinkerer. For certain reasons you have to change things and you have to adapt, but I try to keep the same shape and pattern.”

A mixture of fatigue and a minor calf injury is hampering Glenn Whelan’s chances of returning to the starting line-up, while Republic of Ireland team-mate Lawrence will be assessed after his return from World Cup action.

Pulis said: “Glenn has looked tired because he’s the one player who’s played more games than anybody else.

“Coming off with a calf strain for Ireland doesn’t surprise me, because he’s needed a rest more than anybody else.

“But he’s desperate to play for his country and I can understand that.”
West Ham lie third-from-bottom of the Premier League table, but remain a bogey side for Stoke after winning seven of their last eight meetings with the Potters and losing only one of their last 13.

Pulis said: “West Ham are a bit like Tottenham last season with their slow start and they’re certainly in a false position. They’ve got a lot of players involved in the England set-up, have a good spine and have brought in some good foreign acquisitions.

“Players and fans will have to be patient, because they West Ham are not a forceful team, but silky in their play. They like to move the ball sideways and backwards.

“We’ve got an important run of games coming up at home and need to pick up points. Apart from the Man United game, I’ve been really pleased with our performances, and we could be sat here with a lot more points.”