Northern Ireland midfielder Ethan Galbraith has revealed he got insights from Michael O’Neill about Stoke City before joining the Championship club – and insists their long-term ambitions align with his own career plan.

Galbraith joined Stoke after one season at Swansea City earlier this month for a transfer fee reportedly exceeding £10million, signing a four-year contract.

He attracted a host of admirers following his impressive form at both club and international level – Wrexham and West Ham United were linked with interest before Stoke won the race for Galbraith’s services.

Ahead of making his summer transfer, Galbraith was able to call upon Northern Ireland boss O’Neill, who spent almost three years in charge of Stoke after being appointed in November 2019.

placeholder image — Northern Ireland's Ethan Galbraith joined Stoke City earlier this month. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

O’Neill took over from Nathan Jones with Stoke sitting bottom of the table but comfortably guided them to safety and finished 14th in both of his two full seasons at the bet365 Stadium.

Galbraith was able to tap into O’Neill’s Stoke experience before making a final decision, but insists he immediately knew it was the right fit as the 25-year-old looks to reach the Premier League.

"I spoke to Michael and to Jordan Thompson as well,” Galbraith told BBC Stoke. “They'd nothing but good things to say about the club.

"It was great to get an insight from them. As soon as I came up to see the place, it was a really good fit for me.

"The ambition of the club, where it wants to go, aligns with how I want to go in my career. Everything that I heard appealed to me.

"Everyone here is in the right mindset going in the same direction. You can see how intense training is and I think it's a good place to come and work...everybody pushes each other.

"I have big respect for Swansea, they have been massive for me, but coming here, the facilities on offer, it's high level. You can feel the pride and that it's a big club.

"As footballers, we always put enough pressure on ourselves without listening to the outside noise.

"From a young age, I've always put that pressure on myself wherever I have played, so this will be no different.”

Stoke spent a decade in England’s top flight before suffering relegation during the 2017/18 campaign and have remained in the Championship since.

They haven’t finished above 14th – a result achieved twice by O’Neill – in that period and aren't currently fancied by the bookmakers to end their Premier League return wait this season with 10 teams priced as more likely to win the title.

Ironically for Galbraith, his Stoke league debut is set to come against former club Swansea on August 15, but the Northern Ireland star will treat it like any other match.

"It's something you don't think about at the time and then you see the fixtures and I don't think many people will go from one club to the other and have their old club first game," he added. "But obviously it's football.

"I'll stay professional and do my job for the team. I don't think I'll do anything different because I'm playing against my old club compared to if we're playing anyone else."