Stoke City transfer state of play and squad audit with fortnight before deadline
Stoke City are now into the final fortnight of what has already proven to be an interesting summer transfer window that has given Mark Robins major new options for his starting XI.
Stoke have made nine signings so far, with Sorba Thomas, Aaron Cresswell and Divin Mubama starting the first two league games and Ashley Phillips, Jamie Donley and Robert Bozenik coming off the bench as they build up fitness and sharpness.
Lamine Cisse and Maksym Talovierov are waiting to come into the equation due to injury and Steven Nzonzi is working towards the green light for his second debut.
Wouter Burger and Sol Sidibe have been sold to fund that business and perhaps leave a little bit of scope for remaining work leading up to the deadline at 5pm on Monday, September 1. Stoke still have two loan spots remaining as well if needed.
Other squad rules to remember include the EFL’s club-developed player demand. Stoke must include at least one player in their match day squad who has been registered with them for a year before the end of their under-19 season. Tommy Simkin, Nathan Lowe and Emre Tezgel are already out on loan so Will Smith and Jaden Mears are currently flying that flag.
Robins and sporting director Jon Walters have spoken about pretty much having two players for each position, but there is versatility to be taken into account too.
Bae Junho has been playing as a 10 but can go on the left as well, for example, while no one still knows whether Bosun Lawal will play more games at centre-back or in central midfield. Ben Wilmot can cover right-back in an emergency, as can Thomas – although removing Thomas from the wing would be a travesty if he’s playing as he has done so far.
Time will tell how quickly Nzonzi, Bozenik, Cisse, Talovierov and even Phillips can get up to top speed and how much impact can be expected from Bozenik and Cisse as they adapt to playing in England. Nzonzi might not be the Nzonzi from 2015 but what can be expected from him? The same could be said of Sam Gallagher, Ben Gibson and maybe Ben Pearson, who missed big chunks of last season.
Burger is the only near-automatic starter from last season who has been lost. Nzonzi and Donley are the midfield additions while Lawal is as good as a new signing considering he was ruled out by injury for most of last year.
Still, that position seems perhaps the main remaining priority. The strongest links have been with Banik Ostrava’s Slovakia international Tomas Rigo but it remains to be seen if Stoke have the patience to see through difficult negotiations. They have already been prepared to walk away from deals over the last couple of months.
Two wins out of two helps shape the mood but Stoke seem in a good position, with the bulk of their work done, to focus on the one or two deals they still want. They are not braced for a mad end of window scramble which seeds rushed or rash decisions.
In terms of outgoings, Andre Vidigal and Ryan Mmaee have been listed in the football industry’s classified ads all through the window but the phone hasn’t exactly been ringing off the hook. They have one year left on their contracts but it would still be a surprise if they had the stomach to sit that out in the deep freeze.
Other players might be evaluating their place in the pecking order as the season develops.
Stoke will consider it good business, too, to keep hold of players like Viktor Johansson, who is showing his potential to win points again. The Sweden keeper loves life at the bet365 Stadium and must know how much he is loved in return.
What Mark Robins has said about remaining business
The manager said in his press conference on Friday: “I’m pleased. We’ve obviously got limitations to what we can do, but without a doubt we have maximised our ability to fund a rebuild or a change in the squad or refresh it or whatever you want to call it. It’s something that I like to do at various clubs I’ve been at with regard to the here and now, but also the future.
“I think we’ve got a decent balance with that at the moment and we’re still looking to add. We are still a few players or a player or two shy of where we need to be.
“I think it’s a really good signing for us but also I’m looking forward to seeing what he can bring. Normally you’ve got them in and they’re training and you can get an instant idea of how they fit in and how they’re settling in, but with Lamine he’s going to be a little while because he’ll be with the physios and strength and conditioning, But he’s on his way back and hopefully we’ll see him in the not too distant future.”
What Jon Walters has said about the window
Walters said at an eve of season fans’ forum, before the signings of Nzonzi and Cisse: “We feel that, as a football club, we need to be aligned, right across from John [Coates], to Mark, to myself, to the players and fans, to the commercial side of the club. I feel we’re there, or nearly there.
“I’ll add in that there’ll probably be a few more additions in the transfer market that’ll help with that as well, because we want to give Mark and the coaching team every chance of success on the pitch. We have an owner who backs that and pushes it to the limits every year. We’re in a good place, I feel.”
Stoke City senior squad as it stands
BETWEEN THE STICKS
Viktor Johansson, Jack Bonham, Frank Fielding
AT THE BACK
Junior Tchamadeu, Eric Bocat, Ben Gibson, Ben Wilmot, Bosun Lawal, Maksym Talovierov, Ashley Phillips, Aaron Cresswell, Jaden Mears, Jaden Dixon
IN THE MIDDLE
Ben Pearson, Tatsuki Seko, Lewis Baker, Jamie Donley, Steven Nzonzi, Will Smith
UP FRONT
Bae Junho, Million Manhoef, Divin Mubama, Sorba Thomas, Lamine Cisse, Sam Gallagher, Robert Bozenik, Favour Fawunmi
Stoke City business so far
In: Sorba Thomas (Huddersfield Town, undisclosed), Maksym Talovierov (Plymouth Argyle, undisclosed), Aaron Cresswell (West Ham United, free), Robert Bozenik (Boavista, undisclosed), Steven Nzonzi (Sepahan, free), Lamine Cisse (Bastia, undisclosed), Divin Mubama (Manchester City, loan), Ashley Phillips (Tottenham Hotspur, loan), Jamie Donley (Tottenham Hotspur, loan)
Out: Niall Ennis (Blackpool, undisclosed), Lynden Gooch (Huddersfield Town, free), Michael Rose (released), Enda Stevens (released), Jordan Thompson (Preston North End, free), Wouter Burger (Hoffenheim, undisclosed), Sol Sidibe (PSV Eindhoven, undisclosed), Darius Lipsiuc (Solihull Moors, loan), Tommy Simkin (Leyton Orient, loan), Emre Tezgel (Crewe Alexandra, loan), Nikola Jojic (Radomlje, loan), Nathan Lowe (Stockport County, loan)
Leave a Reply