Stoke City must make smart moves in the transfer window to bounce back from a disappointing 2023/24 season.
Steven Schumacher is experiencing his first summer as head coach of the Potters after joining last December from Plymouth Argyle. He guided the club to safety in the Championship following Alex Neil’s dismissal.
Schumacher is looking to shape the squad ahead of his first summer transfer window, leading to the departures of first-team players Tyrese Campbell, Ciaran Clark, Wesley, Tom Edwards, and D’Margio Wright-Phillips, whose contracts have expired.
Young talents Matthew Baker and David Okagbue have permanently moved to Newport County and Walsall, respectively, while young goalkeeper Tommy Simkin has joined Walsall on a season-long loan.
Stoke has made some notable signings, bringing in Swedish international goalkeeper Viktor Johansson, experienced centre-back Ben Gibson, and exciting full-back Eric Bocat from Rotherham United, Norwich City, and Sint-Truiden, respectively.
After finishing 17th last season and not securing a top-half finish in the second tier since their Premier League relegation in 2018, Stoke needs to strengthen their squad this summer while retaining their top talents.
With that in mind, Football League World examines two potential Stoke deals that might go down to the wire this summer.
Bae Jun-ho
Stoke faces a challenge in keeping young South Korean international Bae Jun-ho this summer after his impressive breakout season in his debut English football campaign.
Jun-ho joined Stoke last August from Daejon Hana Citizen on a four-year deal for around £2 million. Initially limited to substitute appearances under Alex Neil, he began to establish himself under Schumacher, scoring his first goal for the club against Cardiff on February 24 and another key goal against Middlesbrough a week later.
Playing a crucial role in the latter half of the season, Jun-ho helped Stoke avoid relegation and was voted the club’s Player of the Year by fans, finishing the season with two goals and six assists in 40 games across all competitions.
Jun-ho’s stats for the 2023/24 season in league games include 38 appearances, 2 goals, 5 assists, 3.84 shot-creating actions per 90, 2.97 progressive carries per 90, and a 43.9% successful take-on rate (as per FBref).
His form has attracted interest from Bundesliga, Serie A, and three Premier League clubs, with Feyenoord also expressing interest. However, Stoke reportedly demands at least €9 million for Jun-ho, indicating their unwillingness to sell unless a significant offer is made. StokeOnTrentLive reports no plans to sell the 20-year-old, but this saga could continue until the end of the transfer window.
Tom Cannon
Leicester City striker Tom Cannon is a potential signing for Stoke to improve their scoring record from last season. According to the Telegraph, Stoke is among several Championship clubs interested in bringing Cannon on loan for the 2024/25 season.
Schumacher is targeting a new striker as Stoke had the sixth-lowest scoring record in the Championship last season, with strikers Ryan Mmaee, Tyrese Campbell, Niall Ennis, Nathan Lowe, and Wesley scoring a combined eight league goals. Andre Vidigal was the top scorer with six goals.
Cannon joined Leicester for around £7.5 million from Everton last September after an impressive loan spell at Preston North End but was limited to just 13 league appearances. New Foxes boss Steve Cooper will assess him in pre-season before making any decisions about a loan move.
Stoke needs a new striker soon, but this transfer pursuit could extend to the end of the summer window.