If Wouter Burger leaves Stoke City for Spurs, Coventry City could hold ideal replacement: View | OneFootball

Stoke City's preparations for the 2024/25 Championship season will be well underway as they look to improve on an underwhelming season in Staffordshire.

The Potters ended the campaign in 17th place and six points clear of the relegation zone, but the pressure on manager, Steven Schumacher, will remain as they look to push up the second tier standings during his first full season in charge.

With the summer transfer window in full swing and the club's announcement of their retained list, key areas of the squad will be targeted to ensure a successful upcoming term.

But one of Stoke's top performers has been the subject of Premier League interest as the rumour mill continues to spin, with the possibility of losing a player who signed a four-year deal last year seemingly likely.

Wouter Burger latest transfer news

It has been reported that both Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield United are among some of the clubs interested in signing Burger this summer.

His arrival at the bet365 Stadium was one that surprised many, having been linked to several clubs higher up the division and in the Premier League, with his plan to use the Potters as a stepping stone early in his career proving to be a good decision.

The 23-year-old featured 39 times for Stoke in the Championship, scoring three goals and providing four assists as Burger quickly became an integral figure for Steven Schumacher's side as they confirmed their second tier status for another season.

Despite only signing for the club in the summer, the Dutchman proved his seniority within the dressing room after captaining the side on nine occasions in the absence of Josh Laurent.

But with Ange Postecoglou keen to bolster his midfield options with Pierre-Emile Hojberg set to leave the club in the summer, Burger's reported £12 million valuation could be an opportunity both clubs would be unwilling to pass up.

Josh Eccles could be a potential replacement for Wouter Burger

Should Burger swap Stoke-on-Trent for North London, it would allow the Potters to reinvest back into the playing squad as they look to improve on a rather underwhelming campaign in the Championship.

While the Dutch midfielder would be considered a huge loss in the middle of the park, the Potters would be making a good profit on the 23-year-old having signed him from FC Basel for £4.3 million just under a year ago.

The 24-year-old has been a prominent figure for Mark Robins' side this term, making 51 appearances in all competitions and helping the Sky Blues reach an FA Cup semi-final while just missing out on the Championship play-off places.

Eccles signed a new and improved contract at the CBS Arena at the start of last year, but with Stoke's potential cash investment from Burger's sale, could have the financial backing to tempt the midfielder away from the West Midlands.

When comparing the pair's statistics from this season, both enjoy operating in that deeper midfield role, with both averaging a similar pass completion percentage with a focus on playing progressive passes into the forward areas.

Burger and Eccles are separated by just a year in terms of age, and while the Stoke midfielder possesses a slight height advantage, both mirror similar physical statistics when looking at the data provided.

For Stoke, the reported fee Burger would command would prove invaluable to their rebuild if invested correctly, and it feels as though the short-term impact of losing Burger would be outweighed by the long-term gains.