Stoke City need to make some smart transfer decisions in the coming months to help them push up the table next season under Steven Schumacher.
The Potters have already signed standout goalkeeper Viktor Johansson, experienced centre-back Ben Gibson and exciting wing-back Eric Junior Bocat from Rotherham United, Norwich City and Sint-Truiden respectively, and are set to be busy in the transfer market in the coming months as Steven Schumacher shapes his squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Ahead of the former Plymouth Argyle boss’ first summer transfer window, he allowed Tyrese Campbell to leave after eight years with the club, despite a strong end to the campaign, and Ciaran Clark, Wesley, Tom Edwards and D’Margio Wright-Phillips all departed upon the expiry of their contracts.
A one-year extension has been triggered on Jordan Thompson’s existing contract, while Frank Fielding and Enda Stevens have each penned new 12-month deals, but Schumacher still has a lot of work to do on the transfer front this summer.
With that in mind, we take a look at the potential deals and decisions that would make this summer a perfect one for Stoke ahead of the new season.
Wouter Burger stays at the club
Wouter Burger’s impact on Stoke’s performances since his arrival in the Potteries last summer cannot be understated.
The Dutch youth international joined Stoke from Basel last August for a reported fee of £4.3m, and soon set about proving his worth with a goal two minutes into his full debut against Rotherham United in the Carabao Cup.
He was a key player under Alex Neil and current head-coach Schumacher in his debut season at the bet365 Stadium, as he registered four goals and four assists in 41 games in all competitions and impressed with his mature, imposing presence in central midfield.
The 23-year-old is a must-keep for Schumacher this summer, after a recent TeamTalk report confirmed that Stoke face a battle to keep him this summer due to interest from Tottenham Hotspur, relegated Sheffield United and two other unnamed sides from within the Premier League.
A fee of around £12m is reportedly set to be enough to prise him away, but it would be ideal if the club did not receive any concrete bids near that figure so he can continue to shine at the heart of their midfield in 2024/25.
Ki-Jana Hoever re-joins
Another of Stoke’s standout performers from last season, right-back Ki-Jana Hoever has now returned to parent club Wolves upon the expiry of his loan deal but looks unlikely to force his way into Gary O’Neil’s plans for the new campaign.
Hoever initially joined the Potters on loan in January 2023, and impressed enough in his first six-month spell to earn another move to the bet365 Stadium last summer, where he netted four goals and notched five assists in 44 games in all competitions in 2023/24.
His defensive abilities have sometimes been questioned by sections of the Potters’ support, but the 22-year-old’s strong form towards the end of the campaign has surely been enough to convince any unsure fans and head-coach Schumacher alike to want him back next season – and they may get that chance given Wolves’ current options.
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