Stoke City’s Cameron may not grab any headlines but his importance to Hughes is clear

Geoff Cameron may not be one of the most glamorous players in the Premier League but Mark Hughes has made a real point of highlighting the American’s importance to Stoke City this week.

Cameron has been at Stoke since 2012 but has spent the majority of his time at the bet365 Stadium playing at either full back or centre half.

The 31-year-old’s versatility has often counted against him but the former Houston Dynamo man has started the last five matches in his favoured central midfield role.

And Hughes is hopeful Cameron can recover from a knee injury in time for Monday night’s televised game with Swansea City.

(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

“Geoff has been excellent and we are hopeful he will get over the knock to the knee that he’s had,” Hughes said.

“He’s a little bit sore as we speak but I have to say he’s come in and been asked to do a different role again to good effect when sometimes his versatility goes against him.

“He’s perhaps a little bit underestimated, not so much within the group, but probably from outside the immediate team. We appreciate the importance and the flexibility he gives us.

“He’s gone into a central midfield role and hasn’t restricted himself to being a defensive minded players, he’s gone forward to good effect as well and he gives us that athleticism and that ability to break things up when the opposition come at us.

“He also offers plenty on and off the ball and his work ethic has really helped us.”