Transfer deadline day twist as Stoke City pull player from the ashes.
Mark Robins has ended his first transfer window as Stoke City manager with new signings and returning faces..
Ryan Mmaee is returning early to Stoke City in a twist to a quiet end of the transfer window.
The 27-year-old striker hasn’t been able to play any minutes yet for Rapid after suffering a quad injury in his first training session at the club back in August. He returned to fitness only to suffer a hamstring problem in a winter break friendly last week and is now likely to face another four to six weeks on the sidelines.
Rapid have had horrible luck with forwards this season, none more so than Guido Burgstaller, who sustained a fractured skull when he was attacked in Vienna in December. They had hoped Mmaee would help to fill the void as they prepare for a return to action at the weekend.
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But instead they were forced to look at different options and got in touch with Stoke about returning Mmaee, which would need the agreement of all three parties. Rapid will continue to pay the majority of his wages but are prepared to take the hit. It was looking as recently as a few days ago – before the latest set-back – that Mmaee’s Stoke journey could well have been over but, after having a couple of chances under different managers in his debut season, he’s back again, pulled from the ashes to try to prove he can be a success in the Championship.
It will be a chance for new Stoke boss Mark Robins to take a look at a striker who is under contract at Stoke until 2026 – and the team has clearly not scored enough in the first half of the season.
The attacking department has already been largely reshaped. Stoke lost Tom Cannon in this window but brought in Ali Al-Hamadi, recalled Nathan Lowe and sent Niall Ennis on loan to Blackpool. Emre Tezgel will get a chance under Robins while Lewis Koumas can play down the middle too and Sam Gallagher is recovering from a hamstring injury.
