If Stoke City say goodbye to Million Manhoef then £10m ace must be eyed | OneFootball

Stoke City should consider a move for Brighton and Hove Albion winger Tommy Watson in case of Million Manhoef departure

Stoke City are heading into a huge summer window, and as Mark Robins prepares his side for the upcoming campaign, he will have some huge decisions to make regarding some key personnel.

Another season which showed so much promise winds up with a familiar result and feeling at Stoke, with the Potters slipping all the way to a 17th-place finish in the Championship despite a bright start to the campaign.

Indeed, by the time Stoke faced Coventry City in their clash at the bet365 Stadium in November, it was second versus first, with the victor claiming their place at the top of the league.

Ephron Mason-Clark's acrobatic effort gave the hosts all three points late on, and from there, the Potters never recovered, suffering a calamitous dip in form which would last the entirety of the rest of the season.

Despite only the Sky Blues and Middlesbrough spending more time in the top two across the year than Stoke, with only Sheffield Wednesday picking up fewer points than the Potters across the final 30 games, they tumbled down the division and secured their tenth bottom-half finish in a row.

As Robins looks to stop the rot, a strong summer window is imperative, as the former Coventry boss will have some huge decisions to make regarding some of the club's star assets, including winger Million Manhoef, who could be on his way out of the Potteries over the coming months.

Stoke City should target Brighton's Tommy Watson this summer in case of Million Manhoef's departure

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For a large portion of the campaign, Stoke had the best defensive record in the Championship, even when results were going against them, with injuries to the likes of Viktor Johansson, Junior Tchamadeu, Ben Wilmot, and Aaron Cresswell disrupting team selection consistency.

What let them down was their lack of killer instinct in the final third, as Sorba Thomas largely carried the burden of both scoring and assisting the majority of the Potters' goals on his back, finishing as the club's top scorer and top creator, hitting double digits for both.

On the right flank, Manhoef, 24, showed glimpses of his undoubted ability, but flattered to deceive far too often, and never looked capable of hitting the heights of Thomas on the other wing.

The Dutchman joined Stoke in January 2024 for around €4 million (£3.4 million) from Vitesse Arnhem, and has since gone on to score 18 and assist ten in exactly 100 appearances across all competitions for the club.

However, with just 12 months remaining on his current deal at the bet365 Stadium, there looks to be an increasing opportunity that he may leave the club before the end of the window, as Robins must decide whether to cash in now or risk his contract expiring next summer if he does not sign fresh terms.

Scottish giants Celtic have previously registered an interest in the 24-year-old, whilst Leeds United have also been credited with a link, but no concrete offers have ever been reported.

Should Manhoef and Stoke part ways this summer, then Brighton and Hove Albion's Tommy Watson ought to be high on Robins' list of alternatives.

Watson, 20, joined the Seagulls from Sunderland in the summer of 2025 for around £10 million after scoring the goal that sent the Black Cats to the top flight, but has struggled for game time since making the switch.

He would spend his first six months on the periphery of the first team, before being allowed to join Millwall on loan in the January window to help aid their promotion push.

Though even at The Den, Watson struggled to make an impression under Alex Neil, and could not replace the likes of Nigerian international Femi Azeez on the flank, somewhat unsurprisingly. He failed to register a goal or assist in 12 outings.

Watson's deal at the Amex runs until the summer of 2029, and with the young Englishman unlikely to play a big role for Brighton next season, he could be available for loan again, as Stoke should be keeping tabs.

The Potters were credited with interest in Watson during the January window before Millwall snapped him up, and Robins may well look to reignite that interest over the coming weeks and months if an exit for Manhoef looks likely.

Mark Robins must make a big call on Million Manhoef's Stoke City future and should prepare a move for Tommy Watson

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Ever since Robins' arrival in the dugout in January 2025, Manhoef has been his preferred option off the right flank, and understandably so.

The Dutchman's close control and dribbling ability are second to none in the Potters squad, and although his final product hasn't always been there, only a fool would deny his talent.

Surrounded by better players, Manhoef may thrive, though whether that will be with Stoke remains to be seen.

Should he not sign a contract extension this summer, an exit is almost certainly on the cards, and Watson must be lined up as a replacement.

The Brighton youngster does not have as much experience in the second tier as Manhoef, but possesses unquestionable potential waiting to be unlocked, and Robins ought to fancy his chances of being the person to do so.