For a loan and an option to buy in January, Stoke set their sights on Everton’s disgruntled players to support their promotion strategy.
The Potters endured an underwhelming campaign last term as they recorded a 16th-placed finish, and their struggles have continued this season, with the club currently sitting 21st in the table having picked up just 10 points from their opening 11 league games.
Optimism was high at the bet365 Stadium heading into the season after 18 new players arrived at the club, and Alex Neil bolstered his squad further with the signing of free agent defender Ciaran Clark this week.
Given the huge influx of players over the summer, some members of the Potters squad have found their game time limited this season.
With that in mind, we looked at three players Stoke should consider loaning out in the January transfer window.
Wright-Phillips made a huge impression for the Potters after making his debut last January, and he signed a new two-and-a-half year contract at the bet365 Stadium last summer.
However, the winger’s progress has stalled slightly since then, and after struggling for minutes in the first half of last season, he spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Northampton Town.
Wright-Phillips made seven substitute appearances to help the Cobblers to promotion from League Two, but it has not been enough to force his way into Neil’s first-team plans, and he has not been included in the matchday squad so far this season.
The 22-year-old still has plenty of time to make a name for himself at the club, but playing regular football during a loan spell would be beneficial for his development.
Tezgel became Stoke’s youngest ever player when he made his debut against Leyton Orient in the FA Cup aged 16 in January 2022, but like Wright-Phillips, he has struggled to kick on since making his breakthrough.
The striker made four substitute appearances in all competitions last season, with three of those coming in the league, but he is yet to feature in the matchday squad in what has been an injury-disrupted campaign this time around.
Neil is known to be a big admirer of Tezgel, and predicted he has a big future in the game.
“I love him as a player, he is very good. At just turned 17, he is as good at taking the ball in as any young striker I have seen at his age,” Neil told Stoke on Trent Live in December.
“He was on the bench in the last game, he trains with us every single day and he shows his qualities every day. So, I think he has got an extremely bright future ahead of him.”
The Scotsman could opt to give the 18-year-old a chance when he returns to fitness given the Potters’ struggles so far this season, but a loan away from the club is a more likely option.
