Alex Neil will have access to transfer fees at Stoke City following the January sale of Harry Souttar, according to Pete Smith.
Stoke City have endured a frustrating season so far, with the Potters sitting 17th in the table – 14 points behind the play-offs.
Neil’s side suffered a blow in the January transfer window when star centre-back Souttar signed for Leicester City for a reported £15m off the back of an impressive World Cup campaign for Australia and 70 appearances for Stoke. The move made him the Potters’ second all-time record sale – only behind Marko Arnautovic.
The finances arrived too late in the winter window with the deal concluded on deadline day, with Stoke City only signing Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe on loan as his replacement.
However, Stoke on Trent Live journalist Smith revealed that Neil will have access to summer funds, saying:
“It’ll be significantly different than the last couple of years, certainly. Alex Neil is not going to have a bottomless bucket of cash but expect Stoke to pay a transfer fee for the first time since signing Ben Wilmot and Sam Surridge using some of the Nathan Collins money in 2021.
“The Souttar cash could bring in five or six top Championship players. Easier said than done but the planning has already started.”
Summer overhaul?
Despite the obvious disappointment in losing Souttar, his Premier League move has left the club and Neil with significant resources that can be put straight back into the team, potentially bringing in multiple signings.
The Potters currently have seven loanees set to return to their parent clubs alongside the contracts of Morgan Fox, Sam Clucas and Nick Powell all expiring at the end of the season, meaning Neil could have a serious shake up in his squad.
With Stoke floundering at the wrong end of the table, multiple incomings in the summer could be the kickstart they need to set them on a path back towards the top end of the table, with the Potters failing to finish in the top half of the Championship since their relegation from the Premier League in 2018.
Stoke’s next outing is a trip to play-off pushing Sunderland on Saturday, with kick-off at 3pm.
