Stoke City will have to be agile in the transfer market this summer. The rolling three-year financial fair play cycle doesn’t leave much room to manoeuvre and it remains to be seen how big the squad rebuild project it will be, with decisions to be made on eight players out of contract and five loanees heading back to their parent clubs.
The budget could be boosted by a sale, which might be a difficult decision to make, but a little bit of cash in the pocket could go a long way in the Championship.
It isn’t just free agents who will be trying to attract suitors’ attention going into the window and we have picked out 10 players across the division who have been short on game time over the last few months and might benefit from a fresh start.
Mark Robins, Jon Walters and Ian Torrance will be looking to add physicality and experience as well as quality and these names will surely be listed in their little black books to circle or cross lines through over the next few weeks. Who would you like to see in red and white? Join the debate in the comments section.
Joe Worrall, Burnley centre-back, aged 28, under contract until 2028
Joined Burnley from Nottingham Forest last summer and started the season alongside Maxime Esteve but an injury in late September saw him lose his spot to CJ Egan-Riley and he hasn’t started since.
