According to a recent report from The Daily Telegraph, Stoke City are eyeing up a January move for striker Che Adams. The 22-year-old currently plays his football at Championship outfit Birmingham City and has done so since leaving Sheffield United back in 2016, with his fine form this season for Garry Monk’s men clearly attracting interest from potential suitors ahead of the winter window.

And that’s because reports suggest that Potters boss Gary Rowett, the man who signed Adams for Birmingham little over two years ago, is seeking to reunite with the 22-year-old at the bet365 Stadium, with the 44-year-old needing to raid his ex-employers for the missing piece in his Stoke promotion jigsaw.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, Stoke’s relegation from the top-flight last season came as something of a surprise given they had enjoyed ten successive years in the top tier prior to their demise, yet it also meant that they went into this term as one of the hot favourites for promotion.

And under the highly-rated Rowett, who did a fine job at Birmingham and led Derby County to the play-offs last season, expectations were high, only for the Potters to seriously struggle so far this term in winning just five of their 17 matches.

And one of their biggest problems has been going forward, with the Staffordshire-based outfit netting just 19 times in their opening 17 Championship matches, just two goals of which have come in their last five games.

And in netting more than one goal in a game on just six occasions so far this season, it’s plainly obvious that if Rowett is to oversee a promotion charge this term, he is going to need further reinforcements up top - Adams would be the ideal man for the job.

The 22-year-old is already embarking upon his best goal-scoring season in his Birmingham career this time round having netted eight goals in just 17 appearances for the Blues, including the winner against Stoke last month as well as a mightily impressive hat-trick in their 3-3 draw with Hull little under a fortnight ago.

And with nine goals for the Midlands club last term, as well as seven in his first campaign at the club in 2016/17, it’s pretty clear that Adams has proven his worth in the second tier in recent seasons, but he now appears to be playing the best football of his career under Blues chief Monk.

And such has been his consistently high-level displays, it’s clear that he would go some way to helping a Stoke side that are somewhat struggling in front of goal - Adams’ tally of eight goals would see him three clear at the top of the Potters’ goal-scoring charts.

And if Rowett’s side are serious about challenging for promotion this season, they are already six points adrift of the top six, they have to be more potent in front of goal - Adams would give them that potency.

As such, a Rowett raid on his ex-employers for the 22-year-old would seriously strengthen a Stoke side seeking to bounce straight back up to the Premier League this time round - Adams represents the missing piece in his promotion jigsaw.

Stoke fans… what do you think? Let us know!