Steven Schumacher is pleased to get a summer deal over …….

Steven Schumacher is pleased to get a summer deal over the line for Eric Bocat after having him on his shopping list in January.

Left-back Bocat, aged 24, has joined Stoke City as their third signing of the window, signing a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee believed to around £1 million.

Stoke had looked about signing him during the winter but had to focus their budget on bolstering the attack at that time and instead brought in right winger Million Manhoef from Vitesse Arnhem.

Schumacher said today: “It was something we explored in January, but the fee would have hindered any of the other work we could do in (that window). We decided that forward players were more important at that stage – we needed some goals – so we signed Million.

“But Eric was someone we continued to monitor. We spoke to him over the summer and these kind of things with players from overseas take a bit longer. But he came over last week, I met him, he had a look around the training ground and I explained how I want the team to play and what I see his role being in the team. He speaks really well, he seems like a really good lad, he seems dead bubbly, he cracked a couple of jokes.

“Jon (Walters) took him around the stadium and said his personality was brilliant. It’s good to get that one over the line and hopefully he can be a really good player for us.”

Enda Stevens, aged 33, has signed a one-year contract extension too and, for the first time in a long time, Stoke will have senior competition at left-back.

Schumacher is confident the two players will complement and bring the best out of each other as well as fight for the shirt.

He added: “As soon as the fans see him they’ll see how athletic he is. He’s someone who can get you up the pitch from left-back positions. He’s a really good ball carrier, he can defend really well one v one, he’s fast and he’ll complement what Enda Stevens is. Enda has so much experience and understanding and quality on the ball. Hopefully Enda can help Eric to develop that side of his game as well while Eric is obviously younger and will bring that energy and speed and power.

“We’ve got a good blend with two really good left-backs and I’m delighted with it.”