Mark Robins must hijack Derby swoop for £3.5m Ipswich Town man to save Stoke City job | OneFootball

Mark Robins must prepare a move for Ipswich Town forward Anis Mehmeti amid Derby County interest to save his Stoke City job

Stoke City are in danger of falling apart after just two games into the new campaign, as manager Mark Robins must prepare a move for a current Premier League player courted by a second-tier rival to save his job.

Stoke began the season with a 2-0 victory over Oldham Athletic in the League Cup, but have lost both of their first two games of the Championship season, at home to Swansea City and away to Southampton, with pressure piling on Robins to turn their fortunes around.

Whilst losing their opening two games shouldn’t be a major cause for concern, it represents their 20th defeat in their last 34 league games, whilst winning just seven in that period, with the Potters firmly in relegation form since last November.

With an £10 million outlay on Ethan Galbraith, an initial £6 million on George Hirst, and £3.4 million spent on Djibril Soumare, Robins cannot claim he hasn’t been backed, but as we approach the final stages of the window, the lack of fresh options in final third is evident, as the former Coventry City boss should prepare to hijack Derby County’s move for and Ipswich Town forward.

Stoke City should try to crush Derby County's hopes of signing Anis Mehmeti

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Though Stoke have added seven new faces to their ranks so far this summer, Hirst remains their only attacking addition at this stage, and with less than a week to go until the deadline, Robins must address this sooner rather than later.

Milan Smit, Emre Tezgel, and Nathan Lowe have all left on loan, whilst Bae Jun-Ho has been heavily linked with a move to Lyon, Sorba Thomas has been the subject of a rejected bid from Hull City, and the Potters are reportedly looking to move on Robert Bozenik before the deadline.

Ato Ampah has yet to make his debut for the club following his move from Chelsea some eight months ago, whilst Sam Gallagher's recent injury woes cast doubt over his long-term availability, as Stoke must hijack Derby County's plans with a move for Ipswich Town forward Anis Mehmeti.

Mehmeti, 25, has been the subject of interest from Derby, as per Alan Nixon's Patreon, with the Albanian international's immediate future at Portman Road, at this stage, unclear, as Stoke should look to join the chase.

Anis Mehmeti would be an excellent addition for Stoke City

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Mehmeti spent time in the youth ranks of Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, and Norwich City before taking the step down to semi-professional level with Woodford Town, before returning to the professional game with Wycombe Wanderers in 2020.

He'd shine for the Chairboys in League One, earning a move to Bristol City in January 2023, making 136 appearances across all competitions for the Robins, scoring 26 and assisting nine in three years at Ashton Gate, as Ipswich would prise him to Portman Road in January 2026 for an initial £3 million.

However, with the likes of Daizen Maeda, Emersonn, Marcelino Nunez, Jack Clarke, Jaden Philogene, Kasey McAteer, Sindre Walle Egeli, Julio Enciso, Abdul Fatawu, and Chuba Akpom in attacking areas, Mehmeti's game time is far from guaranteed in Suffolk, and could be moved on before the deadline.

Capable of playing anywhere across the final third, the five-capped Albanian international would add another level to Stoke's attack that has simply been lacking, not just last season, but for years, and would help to take the attacking burden off Thomas.

Whether the Potters could afford a permanent deal remains to be seen, as they should be looking to get a deal for the 25-year-old over the line by any means necessary this summer.

Stoke City have a lack of options in the final third

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With each of Bae, Thomas, and Bozenik potentially leaving within the next week, Stoke are already looking weak in the final third, and losing any of those would do further damage in that area.

Murmurs of a potential exit of Million Manhoef have come to the fore throughout the fanbase, with the Dutchman into the final 12 months of his deal at the club, though no concrete links have been reported as yet.

Lamine Cisse appears to be the only forward certain to be at the club beyond the deadline at this stage, as attacking additions simply must be a priority for the Potters over the next few days.

Mark Robins must hijack Derby County's move for Anis Mehmeti to save his Stoke City job

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Despite it being only two games into the season, Robins is facing huge pressure in his role at the helm, with the latter stages of last campaign's results still fresh in many Stoke fans' memory.

Failure to build a squad capable of not just avoiding a relegation battle, but fighting for a place in the top eight was the aim this summer, and on recent evidence, that target has yet to be delivered.

The former Coventry City boss is walking on thin ice, and signing Mehmeti would give his chances of remaining in his post the world of good.