STEVEN Schumacher will bring keeper Viktor Johansson in for his first full game of pre-season as Stoke City continue their Championship preparations at Wanderers on Tuesday night.

The Sweden international, signed from Rotherham United this summer, is pencilled in to play 90 minutes at the Toughsheet as the Potters continue to build towards their season opener at home to Coventry City on August 10.

Johansson, 25, opted to exercise a release clause in his contract at the New York Stadium, leaving South Yorkshire after four years, but Jack Bonham has been preferred in the last couple of games.

Beaten 1-0 by League One Stockport County on Saturday, Stoke boss Schumacher confirmed that Johansson would be used at Bolton, but that central defender Michael Rose had picked up an ankle injury which leaves him on the sidelines for several weeks.

Asked about the club’s form since they returned for the summer, the former Bury midfielder said: “I think we’re going alright, doing OK, there are things we can work on and areas of the squad that we still want to strengthen.

“There are things within the team that we can get better at and we feel as though we have played some good football and created some big chances, especially in the second half (against Stockport).

“But it is not finished yet. We know we are not at full speed yet, we know we are not the level we probably need to be, but I am sure all the managers will be saying the same, it is what pre-season is for, to sharpen up.”

Stoke are short on centre-back options and finished Saturday’s friendly at Edgeley Park with two 17-year-old players anchoring their back four.

Kyle Wooton’s header made the difference against Stockport, but Schumacher was not reading too much into the result.

“In the first half, we were a little bit slow and predictable, and Stockport found it relatively easy to contain us,” he told the club. ”We had one big chance, but apart from that, everything was played in-front of them.

“In the second half, we played with more energy, got behind them more and created some big chances.

“It’s only our fourth game of pre-season. We don’t expect it to be full-flowing right away.

“We’ve got to play with intensity for the whole game, but it’s a working progress towards being ready on August 10.

“There are areas of the squad we still want to strengthen and there are things the lads can get better at as well.

“We’re not finished yet. We’re not at full speed and we’re not at the level we need to be, but all the other managers will be saying the same. It’s what pre-season is for.”