Yahoo Sport 
Scott Parker makes Josh Laurent admission as former captain celebrates wildly against old club
Scott Parker found praise for ‘first class’ Josh Laurent on a return to Stoke City as he admitted he had been trying to sign the midfielder for two-and-a-half years.
Laurent, who had captained Stoke last season, was eager to move out of the club in the summer as he entered the final 12 months of his contract and he got his wish with a late summer transfer window switch that could be worth up to £1 million.
The 29-year-old has been in and out of the starting XI but played a key role against Stoke, setting up the important opening goal for Jay Rodriguez, and relishing the moment against his old supporters. It was Laurent who was dancing in front of the away end at full-time.
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Parker said: “Josh Laurent is a player I’ve wanted to sign for probably the last two-and-a-half years. When I was at Bournemouth I was within touching distance of signing him but it didn’t materialise and I’m very pleased I managed to get that sort of player.
“He’s always been a player I’ve hugely respected in terms of his quality and his physical attributes. What he is a driver in those moments and I’m pleased to have in.
“Coming back to his old stadium it was obviously a little bit risky for me and it’s something that crossed my mind, a player coming back and the emotion of that, how one might try too hard, but he was first class.”
