4 Stoke City players surely keen to escape the club by September 1st | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at four Stoke City players who are surely keen to leave the club before the end of the window

Stoke City have had a positive start to the summer transfer window, as Mark Robins looks to continue to stamp his authority on the Potters squad with some key additions, though exits are still expected between now and the end of the campaign.

Stoke City have had a busy summer window so far, but after a few weeks of radio silence, things are expected to pick back up again following their return from the pre-season camp in Austria.

Joshua Griffiths, Svante Ingelsson, Djibril Soumare, Ethan Galbraith, and Luke Graham have all penned permanent deals in the Potteries ahead of next campaign, whilst the contract expirations of Steven Nzonzi and Lewis Baker remain the only notable departures thus far.

More are expected to follow Nzonzi and Baker out the door, as FLW takes a look at four players that will surely be keen to leave before the September 1st deadline.

Bae Jun-Ho

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South Korean attacking-midfielder Bae Jun-Ho has spent the last three seasons with Stoke, making 134 appearances for the club across all competitions.

However, with just eight goals and 14 assists in that time, the 22-year-old has often flattered to deceive, frustrating cohorts of Potters supporters in the process, and with one year remaining on his deal, now feels like the time for a fresh start,

Bae has since been the subject of a €3.5 million (£3 million) bid from French giants Lyon, with personal terms not expected to be an issue, though Stoke are seemingly holding out for more.

It would be a surprise if Bae were in a Stoke shirt to begin the season, with a move expected to be complete in the coming days and weeks.

Ben Pearson

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Defensive midfielder Ben Pearson holds the record for the most yellow cards accumulated in Championship history, with 95, as his rough and aggressive style of play is a double-edged sword.

The former Preston North End and Bournemouth man must now contend for a place in the midfield with the likes of Galbraith, Soumare, Ingelsson, and Tatsuki Seko, with his game time likely taking a drastic hit.

An exit cannot be ruled out at this stage for the 31-year-old, who would surely prefer to find minutes elsewhere rather than rot on the bench for a year.

Ben Gibson

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Ben Gibson, 33, joined Stoke in the summer of 2024 and has been a truly disastrous addition.

Former head coach Steven Schumacher was targeting an experienced head in defence to steady the ship in the Potterses during his first full season in charge of the club, with Gibson joining on a free transfer after his departure from division rivals Norwich City.

However, five games later, Schumacher was dismissed, and since Mark Robins took the reins over 18 months ago, the former Middlesbrough and Burnley defender has had his game time slashed, falling behind each of Bosun Lawal, Maksym Talovierov, Ben Wilmot, and Ashley Phillips in the pecking order.

Luke Graham's recent addition won't help his case, as though he is on a healthy wage in the Potteries, he may well have his eyes on the exit door if he wants guaranteed minutes, especially considering he's not getting any younger.

Sam Gallagher

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Sam Gallagher joined Stoke for around £1.5 million in the summer of 2024 from division rivals Blackburn Rovers, agreeing a three-year deal.

It would be fair to suggest that the money spent on the 30-year-old wasn't worth it in any way shape or form.

Five goals and one assist in 42 appearances across all competitions for the Potters since his arrival have been far from the return Stoke fans would have been hoping for, with the Englishman having spent more time injured than on the pitch during his time in North Staffordshire.

It was previously reported by Alan Nixon that Stoke may try to shift him this summer for a minimal fee to get his wages off the books, which, given his subpar injury record and poor goal return, is hardly a shock.

With Milan Smit and Robert Bozenik already at the club for competition, the Potters' reported pursuit of Norwegian forward Daniel Karlbakk must raise alarms for Gallagher, who may see his game time cut even more than previously, and could look towards the exit door between now and the end of the summer.