Stoke City star may be on borrowed time after triple Potters transfer update | OneFootball

Stoke City's Ben Pearson will not be welcoming the news of the Potters' fresh transfer business

Over the past few days, Stoke City have turned off the handbrake and put their foot all the way down on the accelerator, as the Potters' summer business is well and truly underway.

Stoke ended last campaign on a rather glum note, having fallen all the way from automatic promotion contenders in November to 17th by May, in what was a catastrophic collapse in form from the Potters.

Few people will be more keen to right those wrongs than head coach Mark Robins, who has already outlined his ambition by taking swift action in the transfer market in a bid to get ahead of the queue.

Djibril Soumare joins from Portuguese side Braga for around €4 million (£3.45 million) after a loan spell with division rivals Sheffield United last season, whilst Joshua Griffiths joins in a £600k deal from West Bromwich Albion to compete for the starting berth at the bet365 Stadium with Viktor Johansson.

However, the Potters don't seem to be done there, as a further two additions in the middle of the park have been heavily touted, in what can only be bad news for one of their current midfield options.

Stoke City eyeing triple midfield deal - it could be bad news for Ben Pearson's future

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Stoke have announced the departures of both Steven Nzonzi and Lewis Baker, whose contracts are set to expire at the end of this month, leaving a void in the middle of the park at the bet365 Stadium, which the Potters are acting swiftly to fix.

Svante Ingelsson is edging closer to a move from League One side Sheffield Wednesday for around £1 million, after appearing regularly for the Owls across the past couple of seasons, whilst Swansea City's Ethan Galbraith has also been linked with a more lucrative switch.

According to John Percy via X, Galbraith is one of Stoke's top targets this summer, though prising the former Manchester United academy player away from South Wales won't come cheap.

With Tomas Rigo likely to continue playing a regular role in the midfield following his move from Czech side Banik Ostrava last summer, Stoke's pursuit of midfield reinforcements could be bad news for Ben Pearson.

Pearson, 31, like Galbraith, came through the ranks at United before finding success in the EFL, with the Englishman spending time with the likes of Barnsley, Preston North End, Bournemouth, and Stoke, the latter of whom he joined on loan during the second half of the 2022/23 season before permanently joining six months later.

Pearson has gone on to make 94 appearances across all competitions during his time with the Potters, and holds the record for the most yellow cards in Championship history with 95, with more bookings than appearances for his current club.

Having struggled with injuries and served more suspensions than ideal, Pearson could well be moved on this summer to make way for the likes of Soumare, Ingelsson, and Galbraith, and it would be no surprise if attempts are made to do just that.

At 31 and with one year remaining on his current terms, Stoke likely won't be able to command much of a fee for him, but shifting him off the books as they move on into a new era makes a lot of sense.

With Tatsuki Seko also at the club, the Japanese midfielder could also look to move on after two years in the Potteries, but Pearson remains the most likely candidate to be shifted, as his situation is one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks and months.

Mark Robins has a big call to make on the future of Ben Pearson

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With Soumare having already signed on the dotted line, Ingelsson on his way, and Galbraith rumoured, Stoke's midfield overhaul has entered full swing.

Whether or not the Potters will be able to lure Galbraith to the Potteries remains to be seen, as a deal for the Northern Irish international seems ambitious, but it does highlight Robins' intent on improving that area of the pitch.

Either way, it surely spells bad news for Pearson, who at the least will see a significant cut in his game time if he is to remain at the club.

Robins has a big call to make on Pearson's future, and it would be no surprise to see the former Coventry City boss attempt to usher him out of the club to make way for new arrivals.