Stoke City can now strengthen their left-back position following Enda Stevens’ contract extension.
Sint-Truiden left-back Eric Bocat has caught the attention of Stoke City. The France-born 24-year-old defender has been attracting scouts to the Belgian top flight over the last three seasons, initially playing for Mouscron before joining Sint-Truiden in 2022. With one year remaining on his contract, Bocat has been linked to clubs like Trabzonspor and Leicester City, and there was exit speculation during the winter transfer window as well.
Recently, his agent posted a clip of a flight from Brussels to Manchester, fueling rumors, but it is understood that no deal with Stoke has been finalized yet. Stoke City recently extended the contract of Enda Stevens, 33, for another year. Stevens hopes to be more available next season, having been a key player for Steven Schumacher and Alex Neil when fit, despite dealing with injuries.
During the close season, Schumacher and sporting director Jon Walters have already addressed two key positions. They brought in goalkeeper Viktor Johansson from Rotherham by triggering a relegation release clause and signed centre-back Ben Gibson, a free agent after leaving Norwich.
A striker remains a priority for Stoke City, especially after releasing Tyrese Campbell at the end of last season.