Tony Pulis has played down speculation suggesting he could be ready to swap Liam Lawrence for Gary O'Neil.
Lawrence-O'Neil deal unlikely to happen
Stoke City boss Tony Pulis has played down speculation suggesting he could be ready to swap Liam Lawrence for Middlesbrough's Gary O'Neil.
Pulis is understood to be keen on O'Neil - also a target of Blackburn - as he looks to bolster his options ahead of the new season.
Boro appear ready to let O'Neil go, with manager Gordon Strachan bolstering his own midfield with the signing Nicky Bailey, whilst also looking to land Rangers' Kevin Thomson.
Former Sunderland man Lawrence was linked with a move in the opposite direction back to the North East but Pulis does not think he would want to drop out of the Premier League.
"I haven't spoken to Gordon about this, so I don't know where it has come from," Pulis told The Sentinel.
"I can't honestly ever see that one being a starter anyway, because I'm sure Liam would want to stop in the Premier League in this country."
