Source: FOOTYMAD
Ledley departure imminent
All the rumours and speculation point to Joe Ledley moving to Stoke City very soon. There's been the usual fan rumours about Joe being spotted in various places with Tony Pulis but the press speculation is fairly confident now that Joe Ledley will sign for Stoke City when his Cardiff contract expires tomorrow.Joe is a free agent on July 1st but if he signs for the Premier League side Cardiff will receive compensation because of Joe's age. A fee thought to be around £2m - £2.5m is being suggested.Joe was given the hard sell by Celtic and visited the facilities North of the border but thankfully, from a financial point of view for City (they would get no compensation if Joe went to Scotland or elsewhere in Europe), Joe's future appears to be in the EPL.Former Wales team mate and Celtic sriker John Hartson offers his thoughts on Joe to the Echo. Hartson wa speaking from a Celtic perspective when he said"He is a left-sided player who keeps it moving. To be fair, I do like him."He's experienced after winning plenty of caps for Wales and he's also played a lot of games for Cardiff."But the lack of pace may be the reason bigger clubs haven't come in for him."He's a hard worker and as honest as the day is long."Joe is out of contract so Celtic would get him for next to nothing."I think he would be a decent signing. Not a great signing, but a decent one. However, Neil Lennon (the Celtic boss) has got to bring in better than decent signings, but he is held back by his budget."I don't know if Joe is any better than Scott Brown or Aiden McGeady or the others at Parkhead."Stoke City are interested, but they'd just hit it over his head at Stoke anyway."Ledley missed out on a £6m move to Stoke 18 months ago when City refused to sell but despite the clock ticking down no new contract was ever signed in South Wales and Joe is set to make the move to the Premier League.I've no doubt that he'd still be a Cardiff player if things had been different at Wembley but we can't do anything about that now.The sooner Joe moves the better. It'll do no good to drag the matter out.
