Steven Schumacher and Jon Walters approached the loan market this summer with a clear and strategic vision. In an era dominated by Financial Fair Play, Stoke City faces the challenge of careful budgeting, and it’s evident that the club has prioritized strengthening the squad through loan signings this transfer window.
Tom Cannon, Andrew Moran, Lewis Koumas, and Ashley Phillips were highly sought after across the Championship over the past few months, with both the players and their parent clubs being selective about where they were loaned. These parent clubs also preferred to keep the players close during most of the pre-season, requiring Stoke to be patient in securing these deals. To land these players, Stoke had to present a compelling package that outmatched their rivals and convincingly pitch the bet365 Stadium as the ideal destination for this season. Meanwhile, other long-listed targets were making their moves, the season had begun, and the deadline day was fast approaching.
Only time will tell the impact these players will have between now and May, but as of early September, there’s a sense of optimism that they will enhance the squad and bring excitement to the pitch. This approach marks a shift in philosophy for Stoke, moving away from signing loanees with the hope of making them permanent, who often ended up as forgettable squad members. Significant decisions shaped this transfer window for Stoke, starting with the release of Tyrese Campbell, which set the stage for subsequent exits, including Josh Laurent, Lewis Baker, Daniel Johnson, and now Ryan Mmaee. “I felt at the end of last season that for us to move forward, I needed to freshen things up,” Steven Schumacher remarked.
This new direction emphasizes young loanees, creating pathways for academy graduates, and backing younger players from last season to take on more significant roles. This strategy has led to a much younger squad, as evidenced by Stoke fielding their youngest starting XI in history in last week’s Carabao Cup and a similarly youthful lineup in the Championship on Saturday. As we reflect on this transfer window, we’d appreciate your participation in our state-of-the-nation survey. And by the way, how many of Stoke’s loan signings from the last two seasons do you remember?
Stoke’s loan signings in 2022/23 and 2023/24 include Harry Clarke, Gavin Kilkenny, Will Smallbone, Tariqe Fosu, Liam Delap, Dujon Sterling, Matija Sarkic, Bersant Celina, Ben Pearson, Axel Tuanzebe, Ki-Jana Hoever, Chiquinho, Mark Travers, Luke McNally, Sead Haksabanovic, Daniel Iversen, and Luke Cundle.