Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane set for Stoke City talks | OneFootball

Ireland boss Martin O’Neill has held talks with Stoke City over a possible return to the Premier League.

O’Neill has an abundance of Premier League experience but has not managed a club side since he was sacked by Sunderland in 2013.

According to Irish newspaper the Independent, O’Neill was set to meet Stoke for talks on Wednesday evening, with Roy Keane expected to join him in the Potteries if a deal is struck.

The Irish FA agreed an extension to O’Neill’s contract back in October but the agreement was only ever verbal, meaning Stoke could sign him without paying compensation.

An announcement that O’Neill would be staying on with Ireland until 2020 was met with criticism, especially after the team collapsed to a 5-1 defeat against Denmark and failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

O’Neill has not spoken publicly since that debacle and has cancelled his plans to attend the Soccer Writers Association of Ireland awards night on Friday.

There are even hopes that the 65-year-old will agree a deal quickly enough to take over the team for the weekend’s trip to Old Trafford.

With Keane once earmarked by O’Neill himself as a potential successor, the FAI will be left with a tough job finding a replacement.