Stoke City had a busy summer transfer window and made good on their pledge to add new players.
This season, Alex Neil will have to manage a first-team that is almost totally new. Stoke City required a facelift, and they received it, despite the season’s early results being uneven.
Even though so many new players have arrived, it will probably take some time for Stoke to reach their full potential. Nonetheless, there is still a lot of optimism that this new-look team will eventually succeed.
Additionally, with a few players’ contracts expiring in the summer of 2019, Stoke City will be considering some contract issues as we settle into the months of September through January.
Here are three Stoke City player contracts that the team should monitor going into the following year.
Thompson, Jordan
For the Potters, Jordan Thompson has steadily grown into a key contributor. After making 34 league appearances the previous season, he has played three times in the Championship this time around in his fourth full season with the club.
He’s not yet in his prime at the age of 26, so Neil might see him as a player with further potential.
Due to the influx of new players, his contract expires at the end of the current campaign, so he might be playing for his future. However, Thompson is unquestionably a valuable player for the team to have on hand.
Tyrese Campbell
Tyrese Campbell is perhaps the standout name who’s out of contract next summer.
The attacker remains an important player despite injury having hindered him in previous seasons, with his last season perhaps being his best at the club; he scored nine and assisted five in 41 league outings.
Injury has hampered his start to this season but he grabbed a goal in the Carabao Cup win over Rotherham United, and at 23 years old, he remains a young player.
Expect a new contract for Campbell to be something that the Potters are working on behind the scenes.
Enda Stevens
Enda Stevens was one of the 18 players to arrive at the bet365 Stadium this summer.
He’s recently been dealt an injury blow whilst on international duty, and at 33 years old, how many more injuries he can have before it becomes detrimental remains to be seen.
But he’s obviously a player with class having played in all five of Stoke’s opening games this season. Like Thompson, he could be playing for his future this season, but a good maiden campaign at Stoke should earn him a renewal.
