After all the news about John Carew being off to West Bromwich Albion, it appears that Stoke City are now the front-runner to steal the big man away from Aston Villa. Carew has met with Potters manager Tony Pulis, but no deal has been agreed. According to Timothy Abraham on Twitter, he's passed a medical, so it seems it's just now down to the terms of the contract.
It's been apparent since the start of the season that Carew hasn't been in the form of his life, but since Gerard Houllier took over, it's been a near certainty that he'd be offloaded. Now that Darren Bent has signed on for the Villa, there's really no reason to keep an aging, underperforming striker.
We're all grateful for the goals that Carew has put in while wearing claret and blue, but it's time to let go. Trading insults with the manager, missing penalty kicks, scuffing total sitters...this season hasn't let us see the best of Carew. I genuinely hope he has a better second half at Stoke, if only to go out on a better note. As long as he doesn't score against Villa, of course.