Stoke City transfer to-do list gets more urgent as clock ticks down towards opening day
There will hopefully be goals in this Stoke team from Million Manhoef and Bae Junho, who are penned in for two out of the three starting spots, and Manhoef Burger breaking from midfield. Eric Bocat will also add something going forward.
Those are the biggest goal threats in the side at the moment and they scored a combined 11 goals last season. That will increase, hopefully a lot, but there clearly needs to be a big contribution from elsewhere, meaning important work remains to be done in the transfer market.
The chances that were carved out at Stockport for Niall Ennis, Andre Vidigal and Wouter Burger were a hint that the right player can lick their lips going forward under Steven Schumacher. We should point out that Stoke scored 10 in their first three friendlies.
But the wait goes on to find that right player – or two or three – who can make the all-important difference in the Championship. So all eyes turn to on Sam Gallagher and how he might fit into the bigger jigsaw.
An injury to Ben Gibson in Ireland was a reminder of how quickly you can look vulnerable at centre-half, and the injury to Michael Rose just underlined that. Stoke were going to look to bring in a centre-half anyway, but it has suddenly become a lot more urgent
Jaden Dixon and Freddie Anderson, both aged 17, have high promise and are expected to make the breakthrough at Stoke, but it is no surprise that a manager would want to bolster that department. It may free up Dixon to get experience on loan, although he is still young.
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