Stoke City may be sweating on Tom Cannon's future after recent Leicester City revelations | OneFootball

Tom Cannon may be recalled by Leicester City in January, which would be a huge blow to Stoke City amid relegation fears growing.

Stoke City will be sweating on the future of Tom Cannon, with the striker potentially playing his last few games for the club if his parent club Leicester City recall him in January to send him elsewhere.

Narcís Pelach has taken over the side from Steven Schumacher, but results have not been consistent enough under the Spaniard. Leicester could therefore send him elsewhere for his development, with sides towards the top end of the division likely to remain interested.

There were numerous Championship clubs eyeing a move for him back in the summer, but it was Stoke who landed the Republic of Ireland international on a season-long loan. The forward has already made headlines recently by scoring four goals in the Potters' dismantling of Portsmouth.

Despite that, Leicester possess a recall clause in the loan agreement, as reported by Alan Nixon. The reported clause means that Leicester could loan him out again or look to cash-in on Cannon in January, with West Brom one of the clubs credited with interest. They will no doubt be closely eyeing his situation come next month.

Cannon arrived on loan at Stoke in the summer from Leicester after struggling for game time with the Foxes last season. That was despite having shown signs of real talent at second tier level with Preston North End on loan just two seasons ago.

Cannon has been very effective in front of goal for Stoke so far this term, and the club cannot afford to lose him in the January window if they wish to continue their challenge for a top-half finish and not get dragged into a relegation battle this season.

Supporters are often told to never get too attached to a loan player, but Cannon’s goals will be hard to replace if he does depart in January. The Potters have to hope that Leicester are pleased with his progress, and that they will wait to assess his future in the summer.

Especially when recalling a young player from loan isn’t always the best move, even if a sale or a loan to a higher level seems tempting. Regular game time is crucial for development, and mid-season disruption can hinder progress and be detrimental.

Cannon, for example, benefits from consistent starts and the chance to develop his skills without the pressure of being moved too quickly. They may be minded to move him to a more attack-minded team higher up the league, or return him to the King Power themselves, but it's not necessarily best for either Stoke or Cannon.

Similarly, Louie Barry at Stockport County is thriving because he's playing regularly, gaining valuable experience. A recall could jeopardise their growth, as stepping up to a higher level or returning to the parent club might limit their minutes. Sometimes, allowing a young player to complete a full season at a club where they’re settled, developing, and playing week in, week out is more beneficial for their long-term potential.

For Stoke it is even more paramount to retain him, given the sheer number of goals that Cannon has directly contributed to for a side that has been slowly falling down the table for a while now:

Tom Cannon development emerges

Stoke simply cannot afford to lose him due to his importance, but the chances of a recall due to his form, and due to other developments at Leicester recently, has to have Pelach and the fans fairly concerned at the present time.

He has shown great signs of his clinical striking ability and quick movement in the final third, and he currently sits joint-third in the Championship scoring charts with eight league goals to his name so far, with yet another in midweek against Luton Town.

Cannon's main strengths as a striker lie in his movement and finishing ability. He has good speed, which makes him a constant threat on the shoulder of defenders and particularly effective in transition, which Stoke are usually able to generate chances from on the counter.

Cannon has shown on countless occasions this season that he is able to time his runs well, getting in behind defences to exploit space. He also demonstrates composure in front of goal, showcasing a clinical edge when given opportunities.

His intelligent positioning and awareness allow him to find space in the box, while his work rate out of possession helps press high up the pitch, making him develop into a fairly well-rounded and dynamic forward, which no doubt will have caught Leicester's eye.

Given Ruud van Nistelrooy is now at the helm of the Foxes, who have limited attacking options, Cannon's Championship form makes him a likely candidate for recall. They may not look to loan him or sell him to West Brom or anywhere else for that matter, but instead utilise him themselves if Odsonne Edouard heads back to Selhurst Park.

Stoke's striker situation means that they cannot afford to let that happen, with Sam Gallagher's injury woes meaning they are in need of attacking additions to join Cannon in attack, not instead of him. Pelach, who has struggled to make an impact since replacing Schumacher in September, will know how much they will struggle without his goals.

Should Cannon return and Stoke lose his ~40%+ goal involvement, the Potters will be closer to the drop and in serious relegation trouble this term.