Ryan Shawcross leaves Stoke to pursue move to MLS

Posted February 19, 2021 6:00 am

The Associated Press

STOKE, England (AP) - Stoke terminated the contract of Ryan Shawcross on Friday, allowing the center back to pursue a move to MLS, where he's been linked with Inter Miami.

The 33-year-old defender made more than 400 appearances for Stoke after arriving from Manchester United in 2007.

The Championship club said his contract was terminated 'œto allow him to pursue new playing opportunities in the United States.'ť

Shawcross has been linked with a move to Miami, a club co-owned by David Beckham and coached by Phil Neville.

'œRyan has an exciting opportunity ahead of him which I know he's keen to grasp and I wish him nothing but success for the future,'ť Stoke manager Michael O'Neill said.

The Potters were promoted to the Premier League in Shawcross' first season at the club. He was appointed captain at the start of the 2010-11 season and led the team to the 2011 FA Cup final, where it lost to Manchester City.

Shawcross has seen limited playing time since breaking his leg in a pre-season game against Leicester in July 2019.

'œRyan's contribution to the club over the last 14 years simply cannot be overstated," Stoke chief executive Tony Scholes said. 'œHis outstanding leadership and the consistency of his displays made him a talismanic figure for us.'ť

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FILE - In this file photo dated Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016, Stoke City's captain Ryan Shawcross during the English Premier League soccer match against Arsenal at the Britannia Stadium, Stoke on Trent, England. Stoke City has terminated the contract of 33-year old Ryan Shawcross, by mutual consent, to allow the centre back to pursue a move to Inter Miami a club co-owned by David Beckham and coached by Phil Neville. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira, FILE) The Associated Press

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