Crewe set for transfer windfall

Former Crewe academy star Ben Marshall looks set to leave Stoke and join Nigel Pearson's Leicester City for an initial £750,000 fee. The news comes as a slight surprise since Marshall only recently signed a long-term contract extension at the Potters. But he caught the eye of scouts during a successful loan spell at League One Sheffield Wednesday.

Marshall was initially held in high regard at Reaseheath with a bright future predicted but left Crewe in 2009 along with Matt Lund (now on-loan at Bristol Rovers) as a number of academy products lost faith in the Gudjon Thordarson regime.

Whilst the initial loss of Lund and particularly Marshall for a cut-price fee at a tribunal angered the Alex hierarchy, a 20% sell-on fee now means that Crewe are set to land £150,000 of the £750,000 paid by Leicester.

And Marshall isn't the only ex-Alex player looking likely to move on today. Nicky Maynard is currently in talks with West Ham over a potential transfer from Bristol City.

Maynard was linked with a £7m move to Leicester over the summer and a 20%-on-profit sell-on fee got Crewe fans excited. However, a move did not prevail and with the Winsford-raised striker out of contract in the summer he's set to leave on the cheap. With Maynard leaving Crewe for £2.25m the Railwaymen realistically have to hope Sam Allardayce's Hammers pay at least £3m to complement the money received from the Marshall sale.

Crewe Vital wish our ex-players all the best with their moves to new clubs.

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.