Stoke City have broken their transfer record for the second transfer window in a row following the £18.3million signing of 23 year old Giannelli Imbula from Porto.
Imbula has been dubbed the next Claude Makelele by those who like to doom careers by making such comnparisons (you may remember Bruno Cheyrou looking uteerly overwhelmed by self-doubt beside Gerard Houllier as his manager called him the new Zidane) and plays in defensive midfield.
The base of Stoke's midfield is currently occupied by Irish midfielder Glenn Whelan, so the signing of the Champions League experienced - Imbula is the latest threat to his starting position at Stoke.
In fairness to Whelan, he has frequently fought off competition for his place, and has been virtually ever present on the teamsheet since Stoke were promoted in 2008, and it is also possible that Imbula will slot in alongside Whelan and force Charlie Adam further to the margins.
Imbula has been capped at under 21 level for France, but has since expressed a desire to play for Belguim, although is unlikely to play against Ireland at Euro 2016.
Whelan's consistency at Stoke is one of the few Irish Premier League success stories of recent years, so let's hope Imbula signs to play alongside, rather than instead, of one of the key members of the Irish squad.
