Stoke City plotting transfer swoop for 25-year-old international

Stoke City are keen on Sampdoria winger Mehdi Leris.

Stoke City are interested in signing Mehdi Leris from Sampdoria to strengthen their squad. Leris featured in 32 games for Sampdoria last season and can operate on either flank.

Stoke City has a strong interest in Leris and could offer him a taste of English football. The club has already made several signings this summer and may need another option out wide.

Leris has one year left on his contract, and Sampdoria may be looking to sell to get a decent return after their relegation. Stoke sees Leris as a potential bargain and a shrewd addition to their squad.

Stoke City are interested in signing Sampdoria’s Mehdi Leris as Alex Neil looks to continue to strengthen his squad.

Who is Mehdi Leris?

The 25-year-old is not a name that most fans will know, as he has spent his entire professional career in Italy, having come through at Chievo before moving to Sampdoria, whilst he had a loan at Brescia.

Leris, who can operate on either flank, featured in 32 games for Sampdoria last season as they were relegated from Serie A, and he has now entered the final year of his contract with the Italian club.

Therefore, even though Leris scored in their Coppa Italia win on Monday, a departure can’t be ruled out.

Stoke City keen on Mehdi Leris

And, it appears the Potters could be ready to offer the player a taste of English football, as journalist Gianluigi Longari revealed that Stoke have a ‘strong interest’ in the wide man.

It has been a very busy summer for the Championship side, and they have strengthened out wide with the arrivals of Chiquinho from Wolves and Andre Vidigal, but with the versatile Jacob Brown having signed for Luton, they may feel another option is required.

How much will Mehdi Leris cost?

A price hasn’t been mentioned by the reporter, but you can’t imagine this will be a significant outlay for the Potters, because, as explained above, Leris has a year left on his contract with Sampdoria.

That will seriously impact his value, and if fresh terms can’t be agreed, the Italian side, who are owned by former Leeds chief Andrea Radrizzani, know this is the last chance to get a decent return on the player.

With the side having suffered relegation to the second tier, they know that sales are necessary this summer, and this could be one move that helps balance the books as they adjust to life in Serie B.

Therefore, Stoke will see this as a potential bargain, and the Algerian international, who has won two caps for his country, could turn out to be a shrewd addition considering he has made almost 100 appearances in Serie A over the years.

The additions of Vidigal from Maritimo and Ryan Mmaee from Ferencvaros has shown that Stoke are willing to look across Europe to improve the squad this summer.

Stoke City summer transfer plans

Neil made it clear that he was expecting a busy summer window as he looks to change Stoke’s fortunes after years of underachieving, ahead of his first full season in charge.

So, fans will welcome the change, and the first two games, where the side have picked up three points, shows that patience will be required as the team develops a greater understanding.

Pleasingly, the bulk of the work has been done in the window, so it’s now about adding that final bit of quality if the right players become available ahead of the deadline, which is on September 1.

Stoke are back in action at home to Watford this weekend as they look to make it two from two at home in the league.