1 week Ago By [email protected] (Peter Smith)
It sounded a lot when Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom admitted in mid-week that he was planning to make about 10 signings this summer. But Preston reporter George Hodgson broke it down to cover the 10 players who they will lose from the match day fold after next month, even if there might be a couple of contract renewals on the table and it wouldn't be a surprise if they tried to bring back at least one loanee for another campaign. And then, well, 10 signings probably counts as a fairly middling summer as far as Stoke would be concerned.
That was the figure they hit in 2024 - six permanent, four loans; they did 18 under Ricky Martin and Alex Neil in 2023; 10 in 2022 - six loans and four permanent; nine in 2021; 10 under Nathan Jones in 2019; and nine in 2018 under Gary Rowett. Stoke, like Preston, have been trapped in a reliance on the loan system just like most other clubs in the division who are not in receipt of parachute payments - and it means a continual churn of personnel. It can be very frustrating, as Heckingbottom said: "You've got to be really good at spotting (which loanees to take from Premier League clubs) and also understand that, generally, those 1v1 players, if they're younger, they may be good in their moments, but they could be costing you for a third, two-thirds, three-quarters of the season.
Then by the end, when you send them back, they're brilliant at performing and you need them on the second loan." Stoke could point to Liam Delap as an example of that, as well as Jaden Philogene, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Jack Clarke and Abdallah Sima and parent clubs hold out high hopes for the long-term potential in current loanees Andrew Moran and Lewis Koumas, who have shown what they can do in glimpses when injuries have meant they have needed to be relied upon as if they were experienced pros. It's almost like you should commit to a two-year loan plan or avoid it altogether, if only avoiding it was possible.
So is a 10 a realistic number for Stoke again this summer? It certainly wouldn't be unrealistic, just to maintain numbers in a squad that has been light over the winter. There are five loan players who will leave for starters - Moran, Koumas, Ashley Phillips, Ali Al-Hamadi and Josh Wilson-Esbrand. There are eight players out of contract, although there are cases to keep at least a couple, especially if there is so much other business to be getting on with.
It wouldn't be a surprise if Mark Robins kept Jack Bonham as back-up keeper, for example, Lewis Baker has been making his case, Jordan Thompson has filled in when needed, Enda Stevens has been influential when fit, Emre Tezgel has always been one to watch for the future. Michael Rose, Lynden Gooch and Frank Fielding have experience in a changing room that's been short on it. Still, that already gets Stoke up to around 10 departures from around the first team squad - without considering what will happen next with fringe men like Ryan Mmaee, Andre Vidigal or Niall Ennis - and then there is the other one or two to consider and whether Stoke will cash in on an key player to transform the budget.
That is the big decision that looms at the moment. Trying to sign 10 players with no money to improve the squad is a near-impossible task. Trying to sign 11 or 12, including replacing that key man or two, and improve the squad with £10 million or £15m or so in your pocket seems possible, even if no one is saying it would be easy.
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