Stoke City head coach Steven Schumacher oversees his first transfer window.
Steven Schumacher anticipates a hectic first month at Stoke City when the transfer season opens. To make changes to the squad he inherited a fortnight ago, the new head coach will collaborate with technical director Ricky Martin and a recruitment staff overseen by Jared Dublin.
Dublin has been in charge of January preparations since the summer window closed on September 1, and there are two positions where Stoke are particularly vulnerable: goalkeeper and left-back. Schumacher emphasizes the importance of any new addition being suited to the way he wants Stoke to play – and being ready to hit the ground running.
The Coates family will provide as much support as possible, and while the club must still adhere to the EFL’s financial fair play guidelines, they will not be forced to sell in order to bring in new players. There may still be exits to ensure the changing room does not grow overcrowded, whether through sales or the termination of loan deals – although Luke McNally, Ki-Jana Hoever, and Sead Haksabanovic have all played when fit.
Stoke left three spots open when they submitted their roster in September, however Mark Travers later returned to parent club Bournemouth, while back-up keeper Blondy Nna Noukeu and free agent Ciaran Clark were added.
Schumacher said: “There been a plan in place that has been going on for a few months. We know we need to strengthen in certain areas of the squad and we’ll try to do that as soon as possible.
“It’s important that we try to recruit wisely, get people in there that are going to be able to play the way you want them to play and be match ready. It’s going to be a busy month and hopefully we can get it right.”
He added: “We know we’ve got a big squad and we haven’t got many slots available if we want to bring in a certain number of players. We might have to be creative if we think we can bring in players who can make the squad better; we may have to move one or two out if they are not going to feature.”
Neither D’Margio Wright-Phillips nor Liam McCarron, both aged 22, was named in Stoke’s squad for this season and their only minutes have come as overage players for the under-21s. Junior Tchamadeu, Bae Junho, Nathan Lowe, Tommy Simkin and Sol Sidibe – who are under 21 and do not have to be listed in the senior squad – have been around the first team, while Emre Tezgel is fit again and expected to stake his claim in the second half of the season.
Stoke are believed to have used their four allotted wild card slots to bring in players from overseas who would not automatically qualify for a visa. There are still two loan slots available following the premature exits of Travers and Chiquinho.
There are eight players, plus the loan trio, who are out of contract at the end of the season. The list is led by Tyrese Campbell and Jordan Thompson while Wesley, Enda Stevens and Clark signed one-year deals when they joined. Gayle, Wright-Phillips and Noekeu are also coming to the end of their current terms.
Stoke City senior squad at start of January transfer window
GOALKEEPERS: Jack Bonham, Blondy Nna Noukeu, Frank Fielding
DEFENDERS: Lynden Gooch, Ki-Jana Hoever, Luke McNally, Michael Rose, Enda Stevens, Ben Wilmot
MIDFIELDERS: Lewis Baker, Wouter Burger, Daniel Johnson, Josh Laurent, Ben Pearson, Jordan Thompson
FORWARDS: Tyrese Campbell, Andre Vidigal, Dwight Gayle, Sead Haksabanovic, Mehdi Leris, Ryan Mmaee, Wesley
