With the summer transfer window around the corner, it’s safe to say that Stoke fans are all mostly in agreeance in terms of what manager Michael O’Neill needs to add to his squad. The usual needed additions mentioned are, an athletic pacey full-back on both sides, Attackers who can add to the number of goals Stoke score and more specifically a competitive, ball-winning, and ball-carrying midfielder. I believe a player in that exact mould has recently become publicly available. Step forward, Motherwell midfielder Allan Campbell.
A key member of Motherwell’s squad this season, the 22-year-old, tenacious midfielder has played a pivotal role in The Steelmen’s midfield this season. Campbell has put in consistent, high-quality performances for Motherwell this season, helping them to a likely 7th place finish. His future at Motherwell has become almost crystal-clear in the last few days, after Motherwell manager Graham Alexander confirmed that he had turned down the latest contract offered by Motherwell to remain at the Fir Park, a place Allan Campbell has been since he was 11-years old. The only fee that will have to be paid for Campbell in the summer will be a “Development fee” of £500K, of which the potential sale of Martins Indi could cover.
So, what does Allan Campbell bring to the Motherwell squad that has made him such a crucial member of the first XI this season?
Standing at 5ft7, Allan Campbell is a pit bull in the middle of the park for The Dossers, never giving the opposition a moment to settle on the ball, constantly looking to break up play and then transition his team into attack. Campbell also reads the game extremely well, constantly anticipating and cutting out dangerous forward passes from the opposing side, as is evident by the fact he wins the ball back for his team around 1.15 times a game, this benefits his tendency to turn defence into attack.
What about his attacking talents?
Well Allan Campbell is extremely comfortable on the ball, making him the ideal ball carrier deep from midfield, to then make his way into the final third. Campbell is also a surprisingly exceptional dribbler, evident from his 1.37 fouls drawn per game. This ability to keep a hold of the ball and move it towards the final third of the opposition is clear from his goal against Rangers back in September 2020. Speaking of the goals, he’s scored 4 in 30 this season, mostly screamers too! So, the Glasgow-born midfielder would potentially add goals from midfield too, something we know O’Neill feels his side has lacked this season.
Is Allan Campbell what Stoke need?
The simple answer is yes. Allan Campbell is the definition of a competitive, ball-winning and carrying midfielder, something that the Potters have severely lacked this season. Campbell could add that bit of bite to the midfield that we need so desperately , stopping teams playing before they’ve even started and upsetting opposition.
As for how he would fit in with the current midfield, he is the ideal midfield partner to current Nigerian, Stoke City captain, John Obi-Mikel, who usually plays the role of taking the ball from defence and playing it towards one of the players in more advanced positions and protecting the back 4 or 5, the “Anchor Man” role as it’s known as by Football Manager players. Campbell would offer Mikel a passing option every time and could then pick up the ball and carry it 30 yards up field before laying it off to one of the frontmen, such as Nick Powell, or having a pop on goal himself. Allan Campbell’s tenacious nature and ball winning ability would allow Stoke to have more turnovers in possession in advanced positions on the pitch, something they’ve struggled to do since the injury of their star striker, Tyrese Campbell.
A player that’s a nightmare to play against and that every opposition player hates, meanwhile every Stoke player and fan would love. Surely O’Neill and his team should be all over that for a minimal £500K fee that could be collected from the sale of likely Stoke want-away players such as the previously aforementioned Bruno Martins Indi, Derby County loanee Lee Gregory or Allan Campbell’s fellow Scotsman, Liam Lindsay.
Would you like to see the Motherwell star quite literally kicking it down at the Bet365 Stadium next season?
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