After a less than impressive season in the Premier League, Stoke City will now have a chance to start afresh in the Championship this season and Gary Rowett has a decent squad to work with at the Liberty Stadium. However, he will have to sell a few of his first-team stars to reduce wage burdens on the club, as he looks to infuse some new players into the squad for the new campaign.
This has seen them linked with a number of exciting names but one player they might now miss out on is Aston Villa star, James Chester. The Welsh international is a crucial part of the squad at Villa Park and is currently the skipper of the side.
The Potters have already made an offer close to £10m to secure his services. However, it is now understood that he is happy with Villa and is set to ignore any advances from the Welsh outfit. So who can Stoke now target? Here are three alternatives for the 29-year old, Rowett can now scout for this summer:
Kurt Zouma (Chelsea):
The French defender has not been able to impress the managers at Chelsea in his four years at the club and still remains an outsider in the first team, having spent the last season on loan at the Bet365 Stadium. He is given the opportunity to impress in the pre-season but it looks likely that he will head out on another loan this summer. At 23, he still has time to improve and playing in familiar conditions at Stoke City could help him progress in his career.
Lamine Kone (Sunderland):
The 29-year old spent the last season in the Championship with the Black Cats but failed to keep them afloat. He was, however, one of the most consistent players for the side and could be tempted to move back to the competition with the Potters. At 29, he is an experienced defender and has already been linked with an exit this summer, making him a decent coup for Rowett.
Read More: Stoke City To Make £10m Offer For Aston Villa Defender: Good Fit For Rowett’s Plans?
Papy Djilobodji (Sunderland):
Another Sunderland star, who could really make an impact for Stoke City is Papy Djilobodji. The 29-year old joined Sunderland from Chelsea in 2016 but spent the last season on loan at Dijon. Like Kone, he is an experienced player and wants to quit this summer, failing to attend to the club’s pre-season. He is a decent fit for the English game and could be a smart addition to the squad at the Bet365 Stadium this summer.
