£3.4m Stoke City star set for late exit? Middlesbrough & Southampton must consider swooping | OneFootball

Million Manhoef could leave Stoke City before the summer deadline, as Middlesbrough and Southampton should plot late swoops

It looks set to be a chaotic end to the summer window for Stoke City, with numerous deals, both incomings and outgoings, hanging in the balance.

Stoke have had a dreadful start to the 2026/27 campaign, but with just over 24 hours remaining until the summer transfer deadline, there remains enough time to instil hope back into a heavily concerned fanbase.

Losses to Swansea City, Southampton, and Wolverhampton Wanderers to begin their ninth consecutive Championship season have been far from ideal, as could the potential departure of Sorba Thomas, with Hull City heavily pursuing the Welsh international with the end of the window fast approaching.

Seven new faces have arrived in North Staffordshire so far, including George Hirst, Ethan Galbraith, and Djibril Soumare, whilst the Potters close in on moves for American duo Luca Bombino and Jack McGlynn.

More could come in to make it double digits of additions for the summer, but more could potentially follow Thomas out of the bet365 doors, including another one of their star forwards.

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Million Manhoef has consistently divided the Stoke fanbase ever since his arrival for around £3.4 million from Vitesse in January 2024.

The Dutchman has made over a century of appearances for the Potters, predominantly off the right flank where he can cut in on his favoured left foot, but his lack of end product and inconsistency has frustrated supporters over the past couple of seasons.

Now entering the final 12 months of his deal in the Potteries, this summer is Stoke’s last chance to cash in on the 24-year-old, as Joost Blaauwhof has reported via X that he has attracted concrete interest from the MLS.

With just hours remaining of the window, Manhoef’s future in North Staffordshire hangs in the balance, as FLW takes a look at two Championship clubs that should try and take advantage of this situation by plotting their own moves for the winger.

Middlesbrough

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Middlesbrough are huge contenders for not only one of the best windows of the summer, but of all time, as if things pan out the way those at the club hope, the summer of 2026 could be looked back upon as a historic one for the Teesside outfit.

Following the £24 million sale of Hayden Hackney and the windfall that they received from Morgan Rogers’ move to Chelsea from Aston Villa, Kim Hellberg’s side have spent big on the likes of Will Lankshear, Radek Vitek, and Ashley Phillips, with heavy future add-ons included in those deals.

Elsewhere, Boro have been busy exploring the American market, signing each of Sebastian Berhalter, Max Arfsten, and Rokas Pukstas to provide Aidan Morris with some compatriots, whilst Kyle Joseph, Myles Peart-Harris, Jeremy Sarmiento, and Sam Byram have put pen to paper on permanent deals at the Riverside.

With the window drawing to a close, Hellberg will likely be satisfied with how business has gone for his side, but may not be done just yet, having been linked with a move for Brighton and Hove Albion’s Amario Cozier-Duberry, who has been on the radar of numerous Championship clubs this summer off the back of an impressive loan with Bolton Wanderers in League One.

Football League World's Middlesbrough fan pundit, Liam Day, has previously urged the club to sign the England youth international.

With a winger to play off the right flank one of the final areas of improvement in the Boro squad to provide Morgan Whittaker with some more competition, Manhoef would be an excellent option.

The Dutchman thrives in tight spaces, with his excellent footwork and dribbling ability making him a nightmare for full-backs to come up against.

With Boro preferring to work the ball into the box and remaining patient to create clear-cut opportunities, Manhoef would be a devastating option off the right, able to carry the ball into the penalty area with confidence and take on opposing defenders before either finding a teammate or getting a shot off on his own.

Likely available for a cut-price fee due to his current contract dilemma, Middlesbrough should be looking to take advantage of this situation heading into the final hours of the window and complete Hellberg’s attacking options.

Southampton

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Southampton have had a relatively quiet window, but as things are drawing to a close, it’s starting to heat up around St Mary’s.

Daniel Peretz, Cyle Larin, and George Long have penned permanent deals with the Saints after successful loan spells, whilst each of Lewis Dobbin, Divin Mubama, Keven Schlotterbeck, and James Ward-Prowse have signed this summer.

The departures of Shea Charles and most recently Taylor Harwood-Bellis for in excess of a combined £60 million will have given the club some more funds to play with, whilst Ben Brereton-Diaz, Gavin Bazunu, and Joshua Quarshie’s wages are now off their books following their exits.

The Saints can boast the likes of Leo Scienza, Finn Azaz, and Tom Fellows in attack, as well as Dobbin, Mubama, and Larin, though only Fellows out of those is a natural right-winger, as head coach Tonda Eckert should look to fix this with the addition of Manhoef before the deadline.

Whilst Kuryu Matsuki can play there as well, a more natural option on that right side of attack ought to be a priority before the end of the window, as the Dutchman would be an excellent alternative for Fellows.

Whilst Fellows prefers to get to the byline before crossing the ball with his favoured right foot, Manhoef is the opposite, in the sense that he prefers to cut in on his left, allowing a full-back behind him to overlap before assessing his options.

These two different options would provide excellent alternatives to one another for Eckert, with the German capable of changing the complexion of the game by swapping the pair over in a game.

Manhoef and Mubama also know each other well from their time together at Stoke, and would be able to seamlessly connect and combine with one another on the pitch once more.