Squad Builder: Stoke City

*Minimum VPM value set at €0.00.

**All player data points are evaluated by the English Championship standards. Defender VPM Values are baselined by Leeds’ Alfie Mawson, Midfielders and Forwards are baselined by Fulham’s Tom Cairney and Aleksandar Mitrović, respectively.

***Only a player’s per minute statistical output in relation to the Transfermarkt value of a leading player in the same third is used when estimating a financial value. Age, contract length etc are not factored in.

****The players were chosen by using filters on a Wyscout of data points important for each position.

*****All data points were sourced from Wyscout’s database.

We’ve taken a look at the 2019/20 English Championship squad Stoke City and some of the areas that need strengthening and reinforcing.

First, the left back position is of particular concern. At 34 years of age, Stephen Ward is still playing at a good level but his only back up at the moment is Bruno Martins Indi. Bruno is serviceable in the position but is more comfortable as a centre back.

The players we’ve scouted are aged between 19 and 27. Given Ward’s age, bringing in two new left backs for next season seems the best move. One such as Anders Trondsen can come in as a ready-made replacement, while another like 19yo Rijeka player, Hrvoje Smolčić, can be brought in as an understudy, if not a more prominent role.

Next are the centre backs. Both Liam Lindsay and Danny Batth are very good options at this level and have Bruno Martins Indi when he’s not required to play on the left. All three are at good ages for centre backs so the need for depth is there but it wouldn’t be considered high priority.

Therefore, a young player like NAC Breda’s Jan Paul van Hecke or Volendam’s Micky van de Ven would be great options for development while offering future salability.

The next area is the attacking midfield. Stoke don’t have a lot of options here but Nick Powell has done well when called on to play there. It doesn’t seem a position that they play with too often but when looking to go more attacking they push Powell or Joe Allen up there.

Players like Aleš Čermák or Ager Aketxe who are in their mid-20s and have scored good attacking numbers for their clubs would be handy additions as impact off the bench when needing to push forward.

Emanuel Vignato and Nicola Mosti represent investments in the future with both having experience of senior football at a good level.

Wingers are the next area we looked at. James McClean and Tom Ince are the main left and right options for Stoke. Ince has for years shown to be an exceptional talent at this level. McClean, at 31, isn’t offering as much in attack as Ince. This could be a team style rather than an individual issue but both left and right could do with some back up.

Alberto Soro doesn’t have a lot of minutes under his belt at the Segunda Division level however he has shown when given the chance he can be of flakier going forward.

Jonathan Levi and Tony Mauricio have a lot more senior football under their belts and these left-footers also have shown they bring value in attack.

Centre forward is the last position to look at. It’s always the most difficult to account for because it’s a position that ultimately comes down to one of the rarest stats, goals. Players can go from one team not scoring, to a different system and score for fun, or vice versa.

Sam Vokes and Lee Gregory are veteran forwards with good pedigree at this level but have struggled by their standards this season. The 20yo Tyrese Campbell has been a revelation and really impressed when given the opportunity.

League One forwards , Ivan Toney of Peterborough and Armand Gnanduillet of Blackpool, have had fantastic seasons for their clubs. Could they step it up to the next level is the question? Aquestion that’s maybe worth asking.

Thomas Henry is a towering French striker in the second division in Belgium for OH Leuven who might be worth a risk given his penchant for sticking the ball in the back of the net.

Polish teenager, Bartosz Bialek, has been a revelation for Zaglebie Lubia in the Ekstraklasa. He’s also a big lad who will only get stronger. He represents a lot of positives and could be a massive investment for the club that could pay off big time.

Stoke have a solid squad that could do with some reinforcing, especially in the attacking department. They, having recently dropped down from the Premiership, harbour ambitions of a hasty return to the top flight but must do so by spending wisely, with one eye on the now and one eye on the future.

They should bring in players that will offer depth, add value going forward and represent resale value for the future.