Triple Stoke City transfer departure expected before the transfer deadline
A trio of Stoke City players could leave the club before the transfer deadline on Friday.
Takeaway 1: Stoke City and Neil may lose Lewis Baker, D’Margio Wright-Phillips, and Josh Tymon before the transfer deadline. #stokecity #transferwindow
Takeaway 2: Stoke’s focus is on improving their squad for the Championship season, aiming for a better finish than last year’s 16th place. #Championship #improvement
Takeaway 3: Stoke has made several signings and departures this summer, with changes in players and loanees returning to their clubs. Deadline day may bring further outgoings. #transferactivity #playermovement
Stoke City and Alex Neil could be set to lose a trio of players in the remaining days of the transfer window, with Darren Witcoop revealing Lewis Baker, D’Margio Wright-Phillips, and Josh Tymon are set to leave before the deadline.
However, Stoke’s attention is currently on the remaining days of the transfer window in the hopes of improving their squad for the remainder of the Championship campaign.
The 2023/24 season will be the club’s sixth consecutive year at second tier level following relegation from the Premier League during the 2018/19 season.
It was another bitterly disappointing campaign for Neil’s side last term, who ended 16th last season and have yet to achieve a top half finish in the division since their return to the Championship.
Stoke have won two and lost two of their four league games so far, and sit 10th in the table at present, but hope to have turned a corner from previous seasons.
Stoke City transfer business so far
Neil promised a better summer to help rectify their bottom-half finishes, speaking at the start of the window via Stoke on Trent Live, he said: “I’m really, really confident we will be far, far better next season.”
So far, his side have lived up to that, Enda Stevens was the first player through the door this summer, joining the club a free transfer following his release from Sheffield United, as well as Ben Pearson, who rejoins the club permanently after an initial loan from AFC Bournemouth.
Michael Rose also joins on a free transfer from Coventry City alongside Daniel Johnson from Preston North End in July. Andre Vidigal (Maritimo), Wesley (Aston Villa), Ryan Mmaee (Ferencvaros), Ki-Jana Hoever (Wolves – loan), Chiquinho (Wolves – loan), Mark Travers (Bournemouth -loan), and Luke McNally (Burnley – loan) completed their business in July.
They didn’t end there, though, with three further signings in August so far as well: Nikola Jojic (Mladost Lucani), Mehdi Leris (Sampdoria), and Wouter Burger (FC Basel).
Plenty of changes have already been made behind the scenes at Stoke in terms of outgoings, with Sam Clucas, Demeaco Duhaney, Aden Flint, Morgan Fox, Phil Jagielka, Tashan Oakley-Boothe, Douglas James-Taylor, and Nick Powell departing the club following the end of their contracts this summer.
Whilst two players have commanded fees from the Potters, in the form of Connor Taylor from Bristol Rovers and Jacob Brown with Luton Town.
Those departures were joined by a number of loanees returning to their parent clubs: Will Smallbone, Dujon Sterling, Matija Sarkic, Bersant Celina, Ki-Jana Hoever, Ben Pearson, and Axel Tuanzebe all departed, too.
What next for Stoke City in the transfer window?
Despite a large amount of churn, they could be set for further outgoings before Friday’s transfer deadline, with a trio of players potentially leaving in the next five days.
Darren Witcoop has claimed Stoke captain Lewis Baker and D’Margio Wright-Phillips have joined Josh Tymon on a list of players who are set to leave:
Lots of movement at Stoke. Lewis Baker, who is close to full fitness, one to keep an eye on as a potential outgoing. Josh Tymon another on his way. Loan interest in young winger D’Margio Wright-Phillips, son of Shaun, from League One. #stokecity #SCFC — Darren Witcoop (@DarrenOWitcoop) August 27, 2023
The club captain has been one of the first names on the teamsheet under Neil, and despite a poor season overall for the club, he was one of Neil’s most consistent performers during the previous campaign.
He has appeared 69 times for Stoke since joining in January 2022, scoring 16 goals and notching up a further seven assists.
Tymon was expected to start the season on the left-hand side of the defence, and the 24-year-old has now made 121 appearances for the club, scoring or assisting 15 goals in that time, too.
It had been previously reported by TEAMtalk that Tymon is of interest to Leeds United and Swansea City, with both clubs looking to bring in a more attacking full-back to deploy in their systems.
