Arsenal, Roma shared transfer laughter at Stoke City’s expense - it involves Ramadan Sobhi | OneFootball

Stoke City signed Egyptian winger Ramadan Sobhi in the summer of 2016, ahead of both Arsenal and Roma

Stoke City signed Egyptian winger Ramadan Sobhi in the summer of 2016, with the then-19-year-old choosing to join the Potters over the likes of Arsenal and AS Roma, but it would not be Stoke who had the last laugh in the saga.

Fresh off the back of enduring one of their best seasons in their over 150-year history, finishing 9th in the Premier League, reaching the League Cup semi-final and narrowly losing on penalties to Liverpool, whilst defeating the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United along the way, Stoke City were looking to kick on in the 2016/17 season.

Having been so astute in their signings in previous years, with the likes of Marko Arnautovic, Xherdan Shaqiri, and Bojan all joining the club to add flair and even Champions League experience, the Potters' transfer policy, as it would transpire, took a turn for the worse.

Wilfried Bony was signed on loan from Man City, having struggled with the Citizens; Joe Allen was signed from Liverpool for £13 million, and Stoke expanded their scouting scope from Europe to Africa to complete a £5 million deal to sign Egyptian teenager Ramadan Sobhi from Al Ahly.

Sobhi made his professional debut as a 17-year-old and had been a regular in the Egyptian giants' side, as well as the national team for the previous two seasons before switching from Cairo to Staffordshire, making 28 league appearances, scoring five goals and grabbing eight assists in the season before joining.

There was immense excitement surrounding the capture of Sobhi, with the hope that he could add an extra spark to the club's attack and be a part of the club's furniture for years to come.

Having secured the signing of Sobhi, Stoke fended off interest from both Arsenal and Roma for the Egyptian youngster's signature.

Arsenal had tried and failed to bring Sobhi to North London as an 18-year-old on trial with Arsene Wenger still at the helm, and there was a sense of great excitement around the Potters fanbase upon his arrival.

Though in his first season in England, the winger struggled to nail down a place in the club's starting 11 under Hughes, with Marko Arnautovic often preferred as Stoke's first-choice option playing off the left.

Sobhi would play just over 1,000 minutes for the Potters in all competitions in his first season at the club, assisting just once, and would have to wait until the following campaign after Arnautovic's departure to West Ham to score his first goal for the club.

The Egyptian netted a late goal in a 3-1 win at home to West Brom, and would follow that up by scoring in the very next game in a 1-1 draw away to Huddersfield Town, with confidence seemingly now flowing through his veins.

But, unfortunately for Sobhi and Stoke, it would not be a sign of things to come, as he made just ten more Premier League appearances for the club without contributing to a goal as the Potters were relegated from the top flight and have yet to return.

Following the club's relegation, Sobhi remained in the Premier League, completing a £5.7 million move to Huddersfield, with Tom Ince heading in the other direction, as Stoke recouped the fee they paid for the Egyptian just a couple of years prior.

Sobhi's time at Huddersfield would somehow go even worse, making just four Premier League appearances for the Terriers as they too were relegated from the top-flight, failing to impress David Wagner and returning to his native Egypt in January 2018 on loan with former club Al Ahly.

He secured a permanent move away from West Yorkshire in the summer of 2020, and has played in the country of his birth ever since for Pyramids FC, but at just 28, he has recently been banned from the sport for four years for use of an illegal substance.

Once dubbed the 'Egyptian Messi', Sobhi's career had once promised so much, and he showed glimpses of his ability with the Potters, but those glimpses were just too few and far between.

Arsenal and Roma will have watched on at how Sobhi's career has progressed and will be glad that they had missed out on him.

Although Stoke recouped their money for him, it will be both Arsenal and Roma who have had the last lap, as the Potters were ultimately relegated from the Premier League in 2018 with Sobhi contributing little to the clubs' efforts to survive, and they have yet to return since.