Stoke City transfer is finally paying off - Celtic must be regretting £2m deal | OneFootball

Bosun Lawal could turn out to be a bargain for Stoke City as he finally shows his ability after a £2m transfer from Celtic in 2024.

Stoke City’s record in the transfer market since their relegation from the Premier League in 2018 makes for grim reading, and it looked as though their deal with Celtic for Bosun Lawal was going to continue that trend.

There have been some shrewd signings in that time though, with keeper Viktor Johansson an obvious one.

But generally, they have squandered money, which is why they have incredibly recorded seven bottom half finishes in a row in the Championship since their last top flight relegation.

And, it’s fair to say that after his first season with the Potters, many would’ve expected Bosun Lawal to join the lengthy list of Stoke transfer flops.

Bosun Lawal endured a tough start with Stoke City after Celtic transfer

There was a lot of excitement when the Staffordshire outfit won the race to sign Lawal for an initial £2m from Celtic, as the Republic of Ireland youth international had been very highly-rated by the Glasgow giants.

However, after an impressive loan spell at Fleetwood in League One during the 2023/24 season, Lawal was desperate for first-team football, and Brendan Rodgers decided he wasn’t ready for that at Parkhead, so he sanctioned the switch to Stoke.

Yet, Lawal made just seven appearances in the Championship last season with the Potters, as a back injury sidelined him for a massive chunk of the campaign.

Even though it was bad luck, it would have left Stoke feeling like they had made another bad investment, but Mark Robins’ patience with Lawal has been rewarded.

The ex-Coventry chief resisted the temptation to throw the 22-year-old back into the XI at the end of last season, instead taking time to ease him back.

Bosun Lawal has shown his quality with Stoke City this season

Then, with Lawal ready for pre-season, he was ready to hit the ground running - and that’s exactly what he did.

After two 45-minute run-outs, Lawal produced a commanding display in a friendly against Wolves which got fans talking, and he followed that up by helping the team to a clean sheet and a win over Burnley.

Obviously, friendlies count for nothing in terms of points and very little in the full-time score, but Lawal looked a cut above in those games, and he took that into the season as a starting centre-back.

Lawal’s aggression and power means he can dominate his opponent, whilst his pace ensures he can recover quickly if he does make a mistake.

That speed has also contributed to the way Robins has set the team up, as Stoke can push up and be more intense when needed.

The fact they have conceded just five goals in the eight games that Lawal has played shows it’s an approach that has worked very well.

As well as that, given he also played as a midfielder, it’s no surprise that Lawal is also assured on the ball, with Robins regularly using the youngster to start attacks from the back.

That’s not to say he is the finished article, as there are areas of Lawal’s game that he can improve, such as his concentration, but he has all the tools you would want for a modern centre-back.

Celtic may rue cheap Bosun Lawal sale if he reaches his potential with Stoke City

In fact, the biggest worry about Lawal right now will be his fitness record, as a hamstring problem means he has missed Stoke’s last game at Blackburn, and he may not return until after the November international break.

Clearly, that is a worry, and it will be interesting to see how Stoke cope without someone who had quickly become integral to the way Robins had set the team up.

But, the Championship is a marathon, not a sprint, so if Lawal does stay fit when he returns from injury next month, and plays upwards of 35 games for Stoke this season, then it will be a massive boost for the team.

So, it will be one to judge over the next few months, but all connected with Stoke are excited about Lawal’s potential.