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Stoke City have had a terrible start to the season, managing one point from their first five Premier League games.
In the video above, we look at the stats behind the run and ask if they can claw themselves out of the mire.
Stoke City have completed the signing of Bruno Martins Indi from FC Porto on a season-long loan.
The club announced the capture on Wednesday as the Potters revealed their fourth signing of the summer transfer window.
Martins Indi, 24, moved to Portugal from Feyenoord two years ago after he impressed on Netherlands duty at the 2014 World Cup, where he helped De Oranje clinch a third-place finish.
The defender arrived at the bet365 Stadium on transfer deadline day, but Sky Sports News HQ suggested that may not be all the business done by the Potters at the last hurdle:
Martins Indi has earned 31 caps for the Netherlands since making his senior international debut in 2012, and a move to the Premier League marks his first jump into one of Europe's top-five divisions.
Fan account Dutch Football highlighted that despite his decline with the Dragons in the Primeira Liga, a loan switch to Stoke-on-Trent could be beneficial for all parties:
Martins-Indi's career has stalled in Portugal. Move to Stoke the perfect opportunity to get it back on track and impress Danny Blind.
— Dutch Football (@football_oranje) August 30, 2016
The versatile back-line figure can operate at centre-back or on the left side of defence, and he'll hope manager Mark Hughes can offer him a boost in responsibilities in his new setting.
Martins Indi featured for the Dragons on 34 occasions last season, but he started and ended the 2015-16 campaign outside Porto's regular starting XI.
His physical style of play may be a better fit for the Premier League, meaning even though it's just a loan deal, Stoke could opt to make the move a permanent one in 2017 depending on the player's success.
Martins Indi has made 71 appearances for Porto since moving to the Estadio do Dragao two years ago, and he brings a wealth of UEFA Champions League and international experience to the Premier League club.
Stoke City have completed the signing of Wilfried Bony from Manchester City on a season-long loan.
The club announced the deal on Wednesday:
Bony took to his official Twitter account earlier on deadline day to suggest a move was on the horizon and later announced his delight at signing:
The deal received widespread approval, with the likes of Bleacher Report UK's Sam Tighe, the Guardian's Stuart James, and former Stoke players Michael Owen and Danny Higginbotham giving their takes:
After joining City in January 2015 for a whopping £28 million, Bony failed to show his best form at the Etihad Stadium. Last season, he netted a meagre four goals in the Premier League. Evidently, that was not enough to convince new manager Pep Guardiola—who likes to field hardworking, mobile forwards—to retain his services.
It was clear Bony's time at the Etihad was coming to an end shortly after Guardiola's appointment, as he was left out of the team’s UEFA Champions League squad for the upcoming term.
Stoke will be hoping to bring the best out of the striker again, though, as he was one of the division’s standout target men during his time at Swansea City.
As these numbers from OptaJoe illustrate, Bony was a frequent goalscorer with the Welsh outfit:
Bony is brutishly strong, extremely composed when chances come his way and able to shield the ball to great effect.
Granted, those traits weren’t on show frequently at the Etihad Stadium, as Sergio Aguero was typically chosen to lead the line. However, with a sustained run of games at the Bet365 Stadium, manager Mark Hughes seems to believe Bony can find his groove in the Premier League again.
Bony has proved he is capable of scoring goals in English football, and with that in mind, the Potters will view this transfer as something of a coup. Provided his new employers play to his strengths more than City did, one might expect the goals to flow again for the Ivorian.
Joe Allen has completed his transfer to Stoke from Liverpool, putting pen to paper on a long-term deal with the Potters.
Stoke announced news of Allen’s transfer, adding the club will pay a fee that could reach £13 million.
“It’s been a whirlwind 48 hours for me but I am delighted to have finally been able to put pen to paper," Allen said in the club release. "I was really excited as soon as I heard of the Club’s interest and it wasn’t a difficult decision for me to make."
The move brings an end to a four-year stint at Anfield for Allen. Former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers had previously signed him for £15 million in the summer of 2012.
The Wales international became a regular fixture in the Reds first XI under Rodgers. Allen used his passing to implement a style of football founded on possession, while the midfielder’s game became more about dynamism, winning tackles and sniffing out danger as the ethos of the team shifted.
As these numbers from WhoScored.com suggest, the 26-year-old has sought to take more chances on the ball as he’s developed:
But under manager Jurgen Klopp, opportunities were restricted for Allen, as he played in cup matches or came off the bench when Liverpool needed an edge in midfield.
The Welshman’s influence in the win over Borussia Dortmund at Anfield in the UEFA Europa League semi-final was key, while his marriage of composure on the ball and bite in defence helped the Reds turn the tide in games. However, for Liverpool to move forward, they needed to pursue an upgrade in this area of the pitch.
Allen, for all his traits, can be bullied off the ball, isn’t the most technically gifted player and doesn’t have the drive to carry the ball through the pitch with incision. They’re all attributes that Klopp had in spades in his superb Borussia Dortmund side, and he’ll want his current team to achieve something similar.
Still, Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe thinks the influence of Klopp has helped Allen improve as a player:
A move to the Potters signals their continued development toward becoming a more passing side under manager Mark Hughes. Allen is another player who will look to keep the ball on the ground and play it.
While he isn't the strongest physically, his ability to win back the ball will still give Stoke's spine further solidity.
Stoke have acquired a footballer who is unanimously popular with both team-mates and supporters, not to mention hungry for success at the highest level. Fans of the Anfield club will be sad to see Allen go, although for the player’s best interests, the team made the right decision.
Stoke City have signed Egyptian winger Ramadan Sobhi after weeks of speculation he would head to the Premier League.
The Potters confirmed the news via their official Twitter feed:
Per their official website, chief executive Tony Scholes said: "We are absolutely delighted to have signed a player of Ramadan’s undoubted quality and potential. He’s a special young talent who is excited about the prospect of making an impact in the Premier League and we’re looking forward to giving him that platform."
All that's left is for Sobhi to receive his UK visa, which the club expect to happen within 48 hours.
Stoke manager Mark Hughes also gave his reaction to the signing:
The 19-year-old arrives from Cairo-based club Al Ahly, who are managed by former Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham boss Martin Jol.
He enjoyed a fine season for the club as he helped them lift the Egyptian title, notching six goals and 12 assists in all competitions, mainly from the left flank.
Sobhi is a tricky winger with a willingness to run at players and the dribbling skills to match. Here are the kinds of moments Stoke fans can look forward to watching next season:
As noted by Bleacher Report's Dean Jones, the teenager is highly rated in his home country:
With the signings of technically sound and exciting players such as Xherdan Shaqiri, Ibrahim Afellay and Bojan Krkic, the Potters are gradually evolving under Mark Hughes into a more possession-based side than they were under predecessor Tony Pulis, where physicality and directness were the order of the day.
Sobhi's capture underlines the desire to cast off their previous reputation as he will bring yet more flair to the Bet365 Stadium.
The winger still needs to refine his game further, but it's clear he has great potential. If Stoke can get the best out of him, he'll light up the Premier League.
Egyptian starlet Ramadan Sobhi is close to joining Stoke City from Al Ahly.
In the video above, Bleacher Report Insider Dean Jones reveals that the 19-year-old winger will be part of the Potters' first-team squad and that any work-permit issues should be easily resolved.
Stoke City have recruited some exciting players since Mark Hughes' arrival as manager, and that trend looks set to continue this summer.
In the video above, Bleacher Report Insider Dean Jones reveals that the Potters are after one of Africa's brightest talents—Egyptian international Ramadan Sobhi.
Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland suffered a fractured ankle during England's 3-2 win over Germany on March 26, a huge blow for both club and country.
Continue for updates.
“I don’t think it is (the European Championships) going to be an option for me now, to be honest, because I won’t be able to play again between now and the end of the season," he told #pottersmag (h/t StokeCityFC.com).
Butland added:
I will have an operation on Tuesday night and then it is all about working hard and making sure I come out the other side stronger and better than before.
It is difficult because I have been working towards the Euros this summer, but I won’t be able to be part of that experience now.
According to the Guardian's Daniel Taylor, Butland's first-half injury suffered in the international friendly against Germany will keep him sidelined for three months.
The Stoke keeper has enjoyed an exceptional breakout campaign during the 2015-16 season, establishing himself as England's second-choice stopper behind Manchester City's Joe Hart.
Butland has shown superb reflexes and top-drawer shot-stopping capabilities throughout the year, and he would fully have deserved his place aboard the flight to France for Euro 2016.
The news of his injury will also be a big blow to Stoke, who currently sit eighth in the Premier League standings and are still battling for a UEFA Europa League ticket.
Jakob Haugaard is likely to replace Butland in the Stoke City goal.
Bojan Krkic has signed a new contract with Stoke City that will keep him at the club for the next four-and-a-half years.
The Potters confirmed the news on their official Twitter feed on Thursday, posting an accompanying image of the forward penning his new deal:
Bojan agrees new four-and-a-half year contract with the Potters - https://t.co/oAtela7ZzU #SCFC pic.twitter.com/j4VBA7ID5t
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) February 11, 2016
Bojan has become a huge hit at the Britannia Stadium since signing for Stoke in the summer of 2014. After spells with Barcelona, Roma and on loan with AC Milan, the 25-year-old has brought some much-needed flair to Mark Hughes’ side.
As WhoScored.com notes here, there are many positive attributes to enjoy when it comes to Bojan, who is an extremely gifted attacker:
Bojan: Characteristics - strengths, weaknesses, style of play #scfc pic.twitter.com/58H7oAVGIj
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) February 11, 2016
He’s started to rediscover his best at the Britannia Stadium. After failing to scale the heights so many expected at Barcelona, it seemed as though the Spain international would be another teenage prodigy whose star completely faded, especially having struggled with the aforementioned Italian giants.
However, he’s become a symbol of Hughes’ new-look City side, which favours expansive and open attacking football. At the core of this setup, he’s flourished.
Last season seemed set to be a stormer for Bojan until he suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury in January 2015, ruling him out for almost the entirety of the remainder of the campaign. Despite the serious nature of the problem, as Squawka Football notes, he’s been in fine form during the 2015-16 term:
For Stoke, having Bojan commit is a huge positive, especially with rumours surfacing earlier this year suggesting the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea were keen on landing him, per Toby Gannon of the Sun.
But it would have been unwise for Bojan to ponder a move elsewhere yet. Stoke may not be the most glamorous of football clubs in comparison to other teams he has represented, but at the moment, they’re helping this wonderful player perform to the standards so many hoped he would when bursting onto the scene at the Camp Nou.
Stoke City pulled off one of the biggest deals of the winter transfer window on deadline day, landing FC Porto midfielder Giannelli Imbula after lengthy negotiations.
The club confirmed the deal on Monday via a release.
The 23-year-old moved to Portugal from Olympique Marseille during the summer and arrived at Porto with extraordinary expectations. He failed to make the transition to the Dragons' philosophy, and he was considered something of a transfer flop.
Imbula flashed an enormous amount of quality with Marseille, however, and he showed glimpses of what he could do with Porto, as you can see in the video below:
The Frenchman, who was born in Belgium and has confirmed that he wants to play for the Red Devils, per L'Equipe (h/t Bleacher Report UK's Andrew Gibney), has been linked with a move to the Premier League throughout the January window, according to the French newspaper (via talkSPORT).
He finally "cracked" late in January, taking to social media to express his desire to leave in a not-so-subtle way. As reported by Sport Witness, he shared an article saying Stoke had made an offer for his services on his verified Facebook page, angering Porto fans in the process.
His time at the club was destined to end from that point onward, and the Potters pounced. The London Evening Standard's Joe Krishnan couldn't believe it when he first found out Stoke were planning a move:
While he may have been a bust with Porto, it's worth remembering Imbula was regarded as a major midfield prospect just months ago. He's hugely talented, and his playing style, built around raw physical strength, makes him a fantastic fit for the Premier League.
He made a strong impression in the UEFA Champions League against Chelsea and has the potential to play regularly on the biggest stage of European football. Similar to the deal for Xherdan Shaqiri, Stoke are landing a player who likely could have held his own at a bigger club.
Manager Mark Hughes is assembling an impressive squad at the Britannia Stadium, and the on-pitch results have reflected the club's ambitions of late. The deal for Imbula is yet another step in the right direction, and while the midfielder carries some risks, this transfer could easily be the steal of the winter window.
