On-loan Walsall striker Lowe recalled by Stoke

On-loan Walsall striker Nathan Lowe, the English Football League's joint top scorer with 15 goals, has been recalled by parent club Stoke City following his prolific spell with the runaway League Two leaders.

Championship side Stoke City issued a statement late on Sunday saying they have "activated the recall clause in Nathan Lowe's loan agreement".

Walsall signed the England Under-19 international forward, who signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Stoke in 2023, on a scheduled season-long loan on 22 August.

The Potters academy graduate, 19, scored 17 goals and made six assists in 29 appearances to help Walsall shoot 12 points clear at the top of the table.

Lowe was named League Two player of the month for December - and his late goal in Saturday's 5-1 home win over Tranmere Rovers, his sixth strike in five games, edged him alongside Norwich City's Borja Sainz (in the Championship) and Stockport County's Louie Barry (in League One) as the EFL's leading marksmen, all on 15 goals.

Stoke, who have netted just 24 goals in 26 league games this season, are the joint-lowest Championship scorers along with Millwall and Plymouth Argyle.

And, although they won 2-1 at Sunderland in the FA Cup on Saturday, their first win under Mark Robins in only his second game in charge, the new Potters boss now has the chance to see what Lowe can do at the higher level.

There is also reported interest in Stoke's own on-loan striker Tom Cannon, who has been linked with moves elsewhere in the Championship, if his parent club Leicester City opt to recall him.

Stoke's next game is this Saturday's Midlands derby at West Bromwich Albion.