Tom Cannon has been backed to be an influential figure in Stoke City’s Championship campaign after securing a deadline day loan move from Leicester City.
Cannon was deemed surplus to requirements at the King Power Stadium, with the forward not in Steve Cooper’s plans.
The forward has only started three times for the Foxes and his future looked bleak when Stephy Mavididi was brought on in favour of the former Everton man to replace an injured Patson Daka during pre-season.
Leicester managed to sign Odsonne Edouard on loan from Crystal Palace on deadline day, allowing Cannon to make the move to Staffordshire, where regular football will be the aim.
Tom Cannon backed to transform Stoke City’s season
Stoke have struggled for goals recently, and the Staffordshire club hope the 21-year-old can be the man to fire them to success after beating many other Championship sides to his signature.
The Foxes loanee could make his debut against Oxford United this weekend and Sky Sports EFL pundit Don Goodman believes Cannon has what it takes to be a big success for Steve Schumacher’s side.
He said, via the Stoke Sentinel: “Tom Cannon is a huge signing for Stoke, there is no doubt about that. Steven Schumacher hasn’t really had much room for manoeuvre this summer, so it’s been about coaching the players he currently has to win games of football and they’ve had a solid start.
“But Tom Cannon will be a very good addition. When you look at their forwards now, they’ve got Cannon and Sam Gallagher to add to the others, which means they’ve gone from slim pickings when it comes to forwards to having some very good options.”
The reason why Leicester City let Tom Cannon join Stoke City
Cannon’s loan move ended a difficult period for the forward, who was desperate to be given regular minutes in the first team.
Last season saw the 21-year-old fourth in the pecking order behind Kelechi Iheanacho, Daka, and Jamie Vardy. Additionally, following the additions of Edouard and Jordan Ayew, chances of a place in the squad looked slim.
Stoke fans are excited by the prospect of what Cannon has to offer after learning the trade from Vardy himself.
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“He’s one of the best at it, if not the best,” said the forward. “Growing up, I used to watch clips of him, and to be there with him in training was a bit mad at first, but you get used to it.
“I became good mates with him but it was good that he was there to learn off and just add little bits from his game into my game. It’s only going to improve me.”