Steven Schumacher confirms Stoke City are hoping to get another deal over the line in time for the weekend
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Stoke City are close to making their seventh signing of the summer, Steven Schumacher has confirmed.
Stoke have brought in Lewis Koumas and Bosun Lawal in the last few days to add to summer signings Sam Gallagher, Ben Gibson, Viktor Johanson and Eric Bocat but they are still in the market for fresh quality in central midfield, possibly central defence and up front.
Head coach Schumacher hopes the next piece of business will be done in time for the new man to potentially be involved at Watford on Saturday afternoon.
“Hopefully, yes (we might have it done in time for Watford,” he told the Sentinel. “Potentially we might have another one in the squad. We’re just trying to sort out a few bits and pieces. We’ll see if it does and if not it’s ok, we’ve got a good enough bench, a good enough squad to go there. But if we can get another one that’d be great.”
Stoke won their opening game of the Championship season at home against Coventry last weekend and followed that up by a young side beating Carlisle in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday. But they knew what they still wanted and needed in the window before the first ball was kicked and that hasn’t changed.
Schumacher said: “We’re sticking to the plan. We’re still aware in the recruitment department and us as a coaching staff are still saying that there are still certain areas that the squad needs improving, where we feel we’re a bit short. We’re working really hard to try to plug those gaps where we can.
“We’re also aware that we might be carrying a few too many players that we think might not be getting loads of game time or minutes that players might require or want, such as Mehdi Leris leaving. There will be ins and outs, I’m sure over the next couple of weeks. It’s going to be busy.
“As long as we get the right players, the right people, that’s the most important thing.”
A new number nine has been top of the agenda. Emre Tezgel and Niall Ennis have shared the starting duties so far while Ryan Mmaee is returning to fitness and there are high hopes for Nathan Lowe. New arrivals could ultimately lead to sanctioning an exit, perhaps on loan.Schumacher said: “Having options is important and having quality options is even better. We wouldn’t bring in someone just for a number, we’ve got four lads in there currently. Anyone we’re bringing in we’re thinking, can they make us better, can they bring something to the team that we haven’t quite got?
“That’s something we’ll be looking to try to do and if that situation happens and then we have more strikers than we require then we have those conversations as and when. That’s modern football, part and parcel of being at this level in the Championship and it will be the same up and down the country.”