Stoke City skeleton squad at start of summer transfer window after nine exits
A lot of work to do in Mark Robins' first summer transfer window as Stoke City manager
Stoke City have had a fairly busy first few days of the close season, laying the ground work for a very busy summer.
Five loan players have returned to their parent clubs, four senior players have been released, three tied down beyond this summer and another offered a new deal to stay.
There will be more departures to come, such as Ryan Mmaee, Andre Vidigal and Niall Ennis, who will be allowed to leave over the next few weeks all being well, and it will be no surprise if others, such as Nikola Jojic, do not break into Mark Robins' plans for 2025/26. There could be a sale or two, too, of course if Stoke need to wheel and deal.
But the ball is rolling and although it is a skeleton squad currently on the books at Clayton Wood, these players accounted for the bulk of minutes over the last campaign, certainly when everyone was fit.
Centre-back Ashley Phillips, who was on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, is the only player who has departed so far who was as good as an automatic pick under Mark Robins when the treatment room was at its emptiest. There are still 21 players on the books who have started a league game for the Potters and a further 13 mostly young players who have at least been in the match day squad. Some will leave but that is still a big difference from two years ago when Stoke left hardly any players on their books for a summer rebuild.
In other words, Robins, Jon Walters and Ian Torrance won't be replacing like for like when they go to market - the challenge will be to replace squad players with starters.
Players who have left so far
Ashley Phillips, Andrew Moran, Lewis Koumas, Ali Al-Hamadi, Josh Wilson Esbrand, Enda Stevens, Lynden Gooch, Jordan Thompson, Michael rose
Players on the books who have started a league game for Stoke
BETWEEN THE STICKS: Viktor Johansson, Jack Bonham, Tommy Simkin
IN DEFENCE: Junior Tchamadeu, Eric Bocat, Ben Gibson, Ben Wilmot
IN THE MIDDLE Ben Pearson, Wouter Burger, Lewis Baker, Tatsuki Seko, Sol Sidibe, Bosun Lawal
UP FRONT: Million Manhoef, Bae Junho, Sam Gallagher, Nathan Lowe, Ryan Mmaee, Andre Vidigal, Niall Ennis (plus Emre Tezgel, contract offered)
Other players who have been in first team squad
Freddie Anderson, Chinonso Chibueze, Ruben Curley, Jaden Dixon, Favour Fawunmi, Frank Fielding, Laurence Giani, Jake Griffin, Jack Griffiths, Keke Jeffers, Darius Lipsiuc, Will Smith, Kieron Willox
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