Stoke City should have 30-cap international right-back and 2 other free agents on October transfer radar | OneFootball

We have picked out three unattached players that the Potters could sign to bolster their squad this month

Stoke City have largely avoided signing free agents in recent years, but new boss Narcis Pelach could be tempted to delve into the unattached market this month to bring in players that he wants to improve on their early season woes.

Pelach was not involved in any of the club's transfer dealings over the summer, as he was only appointed as head coach in September after Steven Schumacher was relieved of his duties just five games into the campaign.

As a result, the Spaniard may want to bring in some new faces of his own to the Potteries, and try to bolster his squad with the addition of some free agents in the coming weeks.

Stoke do not have many gaps in their squad that need adding to, after 10 new signings in the summer, but could certainly do with some competition in certain positions, and with that in mind, Football League World have picked out three free agents that they could look to bring in this month.

Cyrus Christie

Stoke were linked to a host of right-backs throughout the summer window, including former loanee Ki-Jana Hoever, but their pursuit of players in that position came to nothing, which has left them with just Junior Tchamadeu as Pelach's only out-and-out option in that position this season, with the versatile Lynden Gooch as a back-up and youngster Jaden Dixon who can also step into that role.

It does not feel like the Potters have enough quality depth at right-back, as a result of that summer call, and so free agent Cyrus Christie would be a good pick-up for Pelach to add to his squad after he was released by Hull City upon the expiry of his contract at the end of last season.

Christie possesses a wealth of experience with over 300 career appearances in the second tier of English football, while he has 30 caps for the Republic of Ireland national team and Championship promotion pedigree after he helped Fulham reach the Premier League through the play-offs in both 2018 and 2020.

The 32-year-old is clearly a talented player that has not yet showed signs of slowing down, and Stoke would seemingly have to fight off competition for his signature if they wish to pursue it soon after he was reportedly being tracked by Championship quartet Coventry City, Preston North End, Millwall and Plymouth Argyle, as well as Scottish giants Rangers, last month.

Emiliano Marcondes

Pelach's preferred formation looks to be a 4-4-1-1, but Stoke only have one out-and-out attacking midfielder in the squad in Brighton loanee Andrew Moran, and so a versatile attacker like Emiliano Marcondes would be a valuable addition to their ranks this month.

Marcondes is a Danish attacking midfielder of Brazilian descent who last played in Scotland, but is no stranger to English football from his time with Brentford and AFC Bournemouth, and he enjoyed respective successes at both clubs.

He started out at FC Nordsjaelland in his native country, and moved to England to join Brentford in 2017 before going on to play 97 times for the Bees over the next four years while becoming one of the Championship's standout number 10s, who could also feature on the left-wing.

The former Denmark under-21 international joined Bournemouth in 2021, and helped them to win promotion to the Premier League in his debut season, but found opportunities hard to come by in the top-flight and so was loaned back to Nordsjaelland in 2022/23, and then Scottish Premiership side Hibernian last term.

The 29-year-old was released by the Cherries in the summer, and is yet to find a new club despite the new season being fully underway, but has been persistently linked with a move to fellow second-tier side Norwich City to join former boss Johannes Hoff Thorup, while he has admitted that he wants to keep playing in the United Kingdom going forward.

Stoke would be an ideal destination for him to get game-time and prove that he still has a lot to give in English football, while Pelach's attacking options could do with some bolstering to help the Potters find the net more often.

Jonas David

Stoke have four senior first-team centre-backs on their books currently, and none of them are particular standouts in their position or have a starting spot nailed down under Pelach for this campaign.

Ben Wilmot, Ben Gibson, Ashley Phillips and Michael Rose make up the head-coach's senior options at the heart of defence, and so a player like Jonas David would be a solid addition to his ranks to bring added youth and versatility to his options.

24-year-old David left his boyhood club Hamburg by mutual consent last month, after ten years in which he had progressed through their youth ranks to make over 50 first-team appearances for the 2. Bundesliga side since his debut in 2018, while he netted his only goal for HSV in the Hamburg derby against St Pauli in 2022/23.

David is a centre-back by trade, but has consistently played in defensive midfield over the years at a similar level to the Championship, so his prospective signing would make even more sense considering Stoke are not blessed with many options in the middle of the park as it stands.

He spent time out on loan in the 3. Liga with Wurzburger Kickers in 2019/20 as he helped them to promotion to the second-tier, and then spent last season at second-tier outfit Hansa Rostock and made 16 appearances across the campaign, so he can clearly hold his own at a decent standard of football.

David is still only young at 24, has clear pedigree from his time with Germany's under-19 and under-20 sides, and would seemingly suit Pelach's style of play after he was in the 82nd percentile for shot-creating actions from a dead-ball pass by a centre-back in the German second-tier last season, according to FBref.