Stoke City must push to secure Crystal Palace transfer that would solve issue Mark Robins faces | OneFootball

Jeffrey Schlupp would be a smart signing for the Potters this month amid recent rumours of their interest in him

Stoke City desperately need to add some players to their squad this month, and after recent rumours of their interest in versatile Crystal Palace man Jeffrey Schlupp, it seems like a no-brainer to pursue his signature to solve some of Mark Robins' problems with injuries to key players.

The Potters are still yet to sign any players so far in the January window, with the deadline creeping ever closer and recently-appointed boss Robins surely wanting to add some of his own signings to a squad that lacks depth in most areas.

Stoke have moved to recall both Lewis Baker and Nathan Lowe from their respective loan spells at Blackburn Rovers and Walsall, but their January business is believed to be likely to take place closer to the deadline, due to their struggles regarding profit and sustainability (PSR) and financial fair play (FFP) rules.

With that said, they have recently been linked with a move for Crystal Palace midfielder Schlupp by Football Insider, who has been playing Premier League football for both the Eagles and Leicester City for the last ten years.

Schlupp is a very versatile player, as he can feature anywhere along the left side, as well as central midfield, and if his signing is realistic from a financial point of view, it would make a lot of sense to seal a cut-price deal for him in the coming weeks to add some much-needed experience and flexibility to Robins' ranks.

Jeffrey Schlupp's experience would be vital to Stoke if they could land him this month

Following his Potters' appointment just after the turn of the year, Robins has inherited a squad that has one of the youngest average ages in the Championship, and one that is in real need of some older, more experienced players to complement the talents of the likes of Nathan Lowe, Lewis Koumas, Andrew Moran and Bae Junho.

Schlupp has been a top-flight regular since promotion with Leicester back in 2014, and was a key part of the Foxes squad that won a historic Premier League title back in 2015/16, then also went on to feature in the Champions League before his £12m move to Palace in 2017.

The ex-Ghana international has been a regular over the last few seasons at Selhurst Park, with his 34 Premier League appearances in 2022/23 being his most over a single campaign for the club, so despite now being 32-years-old, he can clearly still have an impact against top players.

The main appeal to signing someone like Schlupp is his impressive versatility, as according to transfermarkt, he has been deployed in 11 different positions throughout his career, with just right-back and goalkeeper to go until he can complete a full team.

Despite that notable stat, he has seen his game-time limited somewhat since Oliver Glasner took over at Selhurst Park, with just 16 substitute appearances to his name so far this season.

As a result, it comes as little surprise to see him linked with a move away this month, with his contract due to expire at the end of this term, and the likes of Preston North End, Blackburn Rovers, other Championship clubs and teams in Major League Soccer and Holland all previously being reported as interested in a deal for his services.

Stoke are now the latest side to join the chase for the 32-year-old in the January window, and if they can get a deal over the line in the coming weeks, it would serve as a huge boost to their chances of surviving relegation this season.

Stoke need a versatile player like Schlupp to help deal with their current injury issues

Stoke are yet to sign any players so far this month, but their need for new midfielders has been accelerated in recent weeks after both Sol Sidibe and Jordan Thompson were ruled out with long-term injuries.

As well as that pair, Robins is still unable to call on either Bosun Lawal or Ben Pearson at this moment in time, as they each near the end of their respectively lengthy injury lay-offs, so the likes of Lewis Baker, Wouter Burger and Tatsuki Seko are having to start every game in the middle of the park right now.

It is not only in midfield where the Potters are dealing with injuries though, with left-back Eric Bocat currently sidelined with no return date set as yet, while Enda Stevens is currently fit, but has only played 12 times this term due to his own recurring injury problems.

Star winger Million Manhoef is also out with a knee problem right now and is set to return in March, with his injuries meaning Stoke are short on the left wing, as Liverpool loanee Koumas has to fill in on the right side of attack each week.

Not only would Schlupp's signing be somewhat of a coup for the Potters, due to his experience at the top level which speaks for itself, you feel he would really suit Robins' profile of players that he likes to sign, as he is powerful, pacy and also technically sound.

His versatility would also obviously appeal massively to the Stoke manager, as he is currently short in pretty much every position that the Palace man prefers to play in, so the club need to get him signed as soon as possible, as it makes a lot of sense to give him a short-term deal and bring in some valuable quality to a poor squad.