News from Stoke City in the first week of pre-season training as Jacob Brown makes his return

Brown is one of the members of the core group who were regulars under Alex Neil in the second half of last term, with Ben Wilmot, Josh Laurent and Tyrese Campbell. Youth players are getting an extended early chance to catch the manager’s eye and the under-21s squad will join the first teamers for a week-long training camp in Spain in July.

But it’s a skeletal squad at Stoke over the opening few days and pressure is building to bring in new faces, with the first friendly – at Notts County – at the end of next week as things speed up.

“It’s been tough,” said Brown in an interview for Stoke’s website. “The first day back we did testing inside and runs outside, which is always hard, then we’ve done running outside and got on the balls again. It’s good to get back.

“It’s always nice to get a little break but by the end you’re ready to come back, get back to work and it’s good to see the lads again.”

READ MORESilvera, 22, was a standout performer in Central Coast Mariners’ A-League winning side over the 2022/23 campaign. He notched eight goals and six assists in 29 games across all competitions and put in a starring display in their Grand Final win over Melbourne City at the start of last month.

He has piqued interests from these shores as a result of his strong displays. Hearts were first linked before it emerged Plymouth Argyle had seen two bids rejected, with Middlesbrough then joining the list of admirers.

Now though, as per the Daily Record, it seems the Championship will be his destination.

Middlesbrough, Stoke City and Plymouth Argyle have all seen six-figure bids for Silvera accepted by the Mariners, as have another unnamed Championship side. It now rests in the player’s hands with a decision set to be made in the next 24 to 48 hours.

Silvera has played football in Europe before, spending time on Portugal after breaking through in Australia. It has been on his return to his native where he has thrived though, setting him up for another chance overseas.

His eye-catching displays in the A-League look set to make him the latest to come over from the league to prove his talents in England. Sunderland have already signed Silvera’s former teammate Nectarios Triantis from Central Coast Mariners while Western Sydney Wanderers striker Kusini Yengi has joined Portsmouth, following his brother Tete (Ipswich Town) over to the EFL.