Stoke City look set to avoid relegation this season, and they could yet finish inside the top half of the table ahead of Alex Neil’s first summer transfer window at the club.
Neil and Stoke City are in store for a busy summer transfer window with a number of players out of contract and a number of others set to return to their parent clubs after spending time on loan at the bet365 this season.
With that in mind, here’s what the Potters’ starting XI could look like going into next season…
Neil will have to rebuild his defence in the summer. Phil Jagielka and Morgan Fox are out of contract in the summer and the likes of Dujon Sterling and Ki-Jana Hoever are set to return to their parent clubs, as well as on loan goalkeeper Matija Sarkic.
A goalkeeper signing has been a priority for Stoke for a while now so expect that to be high on their summer agenda, along with a host of defensive signings. Elsewhere on the pitch, Stoke City have a solid midfield arsenal but they could do with a new no.10, with both Nick Powell and Sam Clucas out of contract as things stand, and with Bersant Celina and Will Smallbone’s loan ending.
Up top, Stoke could do with another striker given Dwight Gayle’s lack of goals this season, and also the fact that he’s the Potters’ only recognised no.9. There’s a lot of work to do for Stoke City who’ve been working under some tight financial restrictions over the past few years, but the financial side of things is looking more positive now and so Neil could yet have a bit of spending money in the summer.
Stoke City return to action v Blackburn Rovers tomorrow night.
