2024 Stoke City signing expected to make Potters transfer exit in January | OneFootball

Sam Gallagher looks likely to be on the move from the bet365 Stadium this month

Stoke City striker Sam Gallagher is reportedly likely to move on from the promotion-chasing second tier club in the January transfer window.

The Potters, who have been consistently a mid-table Championship side since they were relegated from the Premier League in 2018, are finally making a beeline for a return to English football's upper echelons, and going into the January 4 fixtures, they currently sit ninth in the standings and three points off the play-off spots.

There's a likelihood that manager Mark Robins would like to add to his squad in the January window, as many head coaches would to give their squad a bit of a bolster, but Stoke may have to make some room in their own ranks to make that happen.

Stoke City open to parting ways with Sam Gallagher in January transfer window

And it appears that one player in particular who could be on the chopping block is Sam Gallagher, who is one-and-a-half years into a three-year contract at the bet365 Stadium.

But, as reported by journalist Darren Witcoop, the 30-year-old is set to be up for grabs this month, with Gallagher name-dropped in a trio of target men with Birmingham City's Lyndon Dykes and QPR's Michael Frey that can move on from their respective clubs before the February 2 deadline.

Gallagher hasn't had a good time of things since he made the move from Blackburn Rovers in July 2024, with injuries hampering his stint in Staffordshire.

The striker played 22 times in in the Championship in his first season with Stoke, having to wait nearly two months for his first appearance because of a calf injury, and he spent another two periods out during the campaign, missing 11 and six league games respectively in those spells.

Ending the 2024-25 season with three league goals, Gallagher once again missed the start of the current campaign through injury issues, with his first appearance of the campaign coming in late November against Charlton Athletic.

Appearing in all of Stoke's eight Championship matches since they played the Addicks, albeit all but one of those were off the bench, Gallagher has been utilised sparingly in recent weeks by Robins, but he could now be on the chopping block.

Mark Robins may not be able to lose Sam Gallagher just yet thanks to Robert Bozenik issue

It's perhaps quite clear that Gallagher isn't going to get much game-time at Stoke, even with Divin Mubama not really firing right now on loan from Man City, but Robert Bozenik's shoulder injury could complicate things.

The Slovakian left the pitch in tears during the 1-0 win over Hull City, which came after he'd opened the scoring in the first half in what was his first goal in a Potters shirt.

Should his injury prove serious, then Gallagher may need to hang around a bit longer as cover, even with summer recruit Lamine Cisse also able to operate as a centre-forward.

There may not be much long-term usage for Gallagher at the bet365 Stadium, especially given his obvious injury issues in the last 18 months, but when he is fit, he's proved to be a useful asset in the Championship, especially for Blackburn - Mark Robins certainly has a big decision to make before February 2 anyhow.