Stoke City make Nathan Lowe decision as rival boss reveals stance on teenage hotshot
Stoke City have knocked back at least one club keen to take teen hotshot Nathan Lowe on loan for the second half of the season.
Lowe, aged 19, was in brilliant form for League Two leaders Walsall until he was recalled by Stoke last week, scoring 18 goals in 30 appearances for the Saddlers.
His return to Clayton Wood presaged the recall of Stoke’s own loan hotshot Tom Cannon by Leicester City, and it remains to be seen what role Mark Robins sees for Lowe going forward.
READ MORE: Stoke City transfer latest as wing-back target ticks all the FFP boxes for Potters
READ MORE: Clubs battle it out for '£13m' Tom Cannon as player makes one final gesture to Stoke City faithful
But one option that has already been closed off, it seems, is a loan to League One Rotherham United, a club where Robins previously impressed as both a player and a manager.
Current Millers boss Steve Evans told the Rotherham Advertiser: “We enquired about Nathan. I saw him three times earlier in the season and I liked him, but Stoke have said that he's not coming out. That's where that is.”
Whether that is a clear indication of Lowe’s destiny for the rest of the season or simply a snub for Rotherham remains to be seen, but Robins has been clear as to what he sees as the next step for the player.
Robins said: “He’s a young player and young players have to be given time. In time he will be a really good player and what he’s doing at the moment is giving himself every chance.
“He’s put himself in the shop window and made people sit up and take notice of him. My first priority will be to assess whether it is right to bring him back and have him involved.”
For now Lowe, who signed a four-and-a-half year contract at Stoke last year, is working with Robins’ squad as they prepare for Saturday’s 3pm kick-off at West Brom.
Meanwhile, Evans admitted his recent chat with Robins might yet bear fruit for the Millers, adding: “I had a long conversation with Mark about a couple of players.”
