Stoke City could have a busy year of contract renewals ahead of them, with a hefty 13 players seeing their contracts expire in 2022.
With 26 players currently on the books with Stoke City’s first-team, the Potters currently have half of their squad on contracts that only run until 2022.
As per Transfermarkt, Jacob Brown, Josh Tymon, Jordan Thompson, Tom Ince, Nick Powell. Danny Vatth, Tommy Smith, Adam Davies, James Chester, Joe Allen, Mario Vrancic and Steven Fletcher are all out of contract at the end of the season, while Demeaco Duhaney’s contract expires in January.
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Former Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley shot-stopper Davies has been with Stoke for two years now, but youngster Josef Bursik has nailed down the spot as Michael O’Neill’s number one ‘keeper in the early stages of the new season.
Five of the 13 out of contract players are defenders, so a revamp of O’Neill’s defensive ranks would be needed if a number were to depart. Of the three, full-backs Tymon and Smith are the only ones who are currently starters, with Chester, Batth and Duhaney’s action all limited so far this campaign.
Some of the Potters’ midfield standouts are among those out of contract this summer. The prolific Nick Powell sees his deal expire at the end of the season, as does club captain Joe Allen. Jordan Thompson has played four times in the Championship this season, but all of those have come off the bench.
Summer signing Mario Vrancic has started three league games so far, but he will need another contract as well if they want to keep him beyond the end of the new campaign.
34-year-old Fletcher is among the forwards out of contract this summer, so it will be interesting to see what O’Neill has planned for him. Brown, who has started in all but one league game this season, also sees his deal expire.
Tom Ince has insisted he will be remaining professional as he strives to show he can still bring quality to Stoke City’s side, but he has only found game time in the Carabao Cup as he enters the final year of his deal.
