Promoted teams usually find the going is tough in the Premier League - just ask Billy Davies and Paul Jewell. However, it’s not nailed-on that West Brom, Stoke and Hull are doomed, especially when you read that the Potters are close to signing an England international goalkeeper who might yet become the next Gordon Banks.

Scott Carson’s career has never really got going since leaving Leeds for Liverpool, although time is still on the 22-year-old’s side and Stoke City must be pinching themselves that they’re seemingly on the verge of landing someone who lined up for England during Steve McClaren’s final game in charge. The Sentinel report that City manager Tony Pulis has confirmed talks are taking place but refused to say how likely the deal was to go through.

The 22-year-old goalkeeper held extensive talks with the club’s hierarchy during a guided tour of the Britannia Stadium and Michelin training ground yesterday after Stoke agreed a fee of about £3.5m with Liverpool.

Manager Tony Pulis spoke for around 20 minutes with Carson on the training ground before the twice-capped England keeper drove off to consider an offer to join Stoke.

Pulis emerged to say: “Yes, I can confirm we are in talks with Scott Carson.”

This would surely be a major coup for Stoke and seriously boost their chances of survival in the process. To consider that Rafa Benitez was holding out for £10million earlier in the summer, something that Villa baulked at, this could be a fantastic piece of business. Carson was an ever-present for the Villans last season and would be sure to get plenty of action in between the sticks for the Potters!