Stoke City eye Bocat sale as Robins pushes departures

Stoke City are preparing for the final day of the summer transfer window, with manager Mark Robins signalling that players who don’t fit the squad may leave. Interest in left-back Eric Bocat from Monaco, Cologne and Burnley has been reported, and the club is also looking for a new home for Ben Pearson.

Transfer Window Countdown

The summer transfer window closes a week from now, and Stoke City are still busy organising remaining ins and outs. After a 3-1 defeat at Southampton, manager Mark Robins told The Sentinel that the owner has been “absolutely fantastic” and that the club will “try to shift players who don’t want to be here or won’t cut it for us.” The Potters have lost their opening two league games of the season and face a tricky trip to Wolves next weekend, with a Carabao Cup tie at home against Hull looming.

Eric Bocat, Stoke’s senior left-back, has had a mixed two-year spell. He scored his first goal for the club against Swansea last week and made a spectacular recovery tackle at Southampton on Saturday. Belgian transfer reporter Sacha Tavolieri claims that Monaco, Cologne and Burnley are interested in taking him before deadline day. Bocat is on a two-man Monaco shortlist and has received an initial inquiry. The 27-year-old is under contract until 2028, so a sale would require a replacement. Aaron Cresswell is currently recovering from a knee injury, Ben Johnson (who joined from Ipswich last week) usually plays on the right but is versatile, and youth graduate Laurence Giani could be given a chance in the cup against Hull.

Ben Pearson’s Future

Ben Pearson, aged 31, is a senior player in the last year of his contract and has been an unused substitute in the first three games of the season. He joined Stoke on loan from Bournemouth in early 2023 and Alex Neil made the move permanent the following summer. Pearson has made 64 starts from 158 league games since arriving. The Sun’s Alan Nixon reports that Stoke are looking for takers for Pearson.

Squad Changes and New Signings

Stoke have already let Steven Nzonzi, Lewis Baker and Tatsuki Seko leave from last season’s midfield department, while bringing in Ethan Galbraith, Djibril Soumare and Svante Ingelsson. The club currently has 24 senior players on its books and will have 25 slots to fill when it submits its squad list to the EFL after the deadline.

Lewis Koumas Makes Premier League Debut

Two years ago, 20-year-old Lewis Koumas joined Stoke on loan. He had a mixed spell at Birmingham in the first half of last season before playing a cameo role in Hull’s promotion in the second. On Sunday, Koumas made his Premier League debut, being thrown on for Liverpool in the 78th minute as they came from behind to draw 2-2 at Newcastle United.