Stoke City has been guided by Mark Hughes to three straight ninth-place finishes for 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 season, their best place finish since 1974-75 before finishing 13th last season. However, their team which has added weight by bringing in new players like Jese from Paris Saint Germain, Kurt Zouma from Chelsea and Saido Berahino from West Bromwich Albion in January has failed to perform this season.
The club is languishing in the 14th place, just three points above the relegation zone. Hughes, however, has slowed down the rapid descent and must look to turn things around. After five defeats in six matches, we can say his team bounced back with a win against the challenging Watford team and a two-all draw against a newly spirited Leicester City side.
The veteran full-back has fallen out of favour at the Potters. His last appearance came in Stoke City’s defeat against Bournemouth when he was taken off by Mark Hughes. It seems his future at the club is bleak and Stoke will have to find themselves a new right back now.
Here is a look at the possible options.
Kurt Zouma
What better for a club than to find an alternative for a departing player in the club itself. Kurt Zouma who has been brought in on loan from Chelsea has performed decently considering his long injury lay-off last season. The exciting centre-back has a habit of running out with the ball. He is certainly comforting overlapping and joining in on attacks. Combined with the fact that he has good pace to keep up with any attacker and after some training from Hughes, Stoke could have a readymade replacement for Johnson in the club.
Bacary Sagna
An attacking full-back with prior Premier League experience for the biggest teams in England is available on a free transfer. 34-year old Bacary Sagna was unloaded by City this season and nobody has made a move for the Frenchman yet.
Although at 34, he no longer has the game of old, however, his experience will definitely come in handy if Stoke wants to last it out at the Premier League. Moreover, with players coming in at incredibly high prices, a free transfer of a player of Sagna’s quality could be a versatile buy for a club like Stoke.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
With Nathaniel Clyne returning soon from his injury and Joe Gomez having established himself at the club, game time for Alexander-Arnold will be hard to come by at Liverpool. An ideal solution for the player would be to go out on loan and that too in the English league only. In such a situation, an approach for a loan move by Stoke city could see the clubs and the player benefit everyone.
