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Stoke must keep hold of Viktor Johansson at all costs

Stoke City have been one of the worst attacking sides in the Championship this season, but despite their poor scoring record, they are still currently in a race for survival thanks to number one goalkeeper Viktor Johansson, who they must keep at the club on deadline day at all costs.

The Potters' turbulent campaign looks to have settled over the last few weeks, with recently-appointed Mark Robins now well aware of the task at hand to keep the club afloat in the second-tier this term.

Stoke's goal-scoring woes have been compounded by the departure of Tom Cannon in the January window, but they have not scored many regardless of the ex-Leicester loanee's decent record before his exit, and the sole reason they are not below Plymouth Argyle as the Championship's basement boys is because of one man's outstanding form.

Johansson, who is Sweden's first-choice in-between the sticks, joined Stoke from Rotherham United for a reported initial £750,000 fee, with potential add-ons taking it beyond the £1 million mark, last summer, as they beat off strong competition to bring him in not long after the 2023/24 season had ended.

His performances since he made the switch to North Staffordshire have been nothing short of extraordinary, and he has been able to consistently bail the Potters out of sticky situations this season, while winning them points on numerous occasions with brilliant saves.

Stoke will be focusing on incomings rather than outgoings on deadline day, but interest in the 26-year-old is bound to be rife, and if a top-flight club was to approach the club with a bid for his services, they must not fold and have to make sure he is still a Potters' player on February 4.

Stoke City need Viktor Johansson to stay put on deadline day

Johansson was impressive in his four years with Rotherham, as he helped them win promotion to the Championship in 2022 and then won their Player of the Year award for 2022/23, and so it did not come as a surprise to see a real transfer battle commence for his signature upon their relegation in May.

The 26-year-old made the move to Stoke that same month for the up-front £750,000 fee, and has seen his performances go up another notch at the bet365 Stadium this term under three different managers so far.

Johansson has, by far and away, been the Potters' best performer this season, and his brilliant saves week-in, week-out have kept them in games and allowed the team to stay out of the relegation places during their nine-game winless run under now-sacked boss Narcis Pelach.

He has also had his role made harder by the constant rotation that has occurred in Stoke's backline, with the likes of Ashley Phillips, Ben Wilmot, Ben Gibson and Michael Rose all playing at centre-back at times, while Junior Tchamadeu has rotated at right back with Wilmot and Lynden Gooch, and the likes of Enda Stevens, Eric Bocat and Josh Wilson-Esbrand have featured at left-back.

Johansson has even donned the captain's armband in recent weeks under new boss Robins, in the absence of the injured Gibson, which shows just how immediately he has commanded respect from all at the club.

The Swedish international's Championship expected goals prevented, at 10.5, is by far and away the best among all goalkeepers in the second-tier, and so keeping hold of him this month is set to be absolutely key to any success the club may have in the second-half of the season, and any potentially sizeable offers late on in the window must be immediately knocked back.

No claims have emerged about possible interest in Johansson's signature in the January window as yet, but his impressive performances will certainly not be going unnoticed by top-flight clubs around Europe, and given his age, international experience and potential to improve even further, clubs looking for a quick fix to their goalkeeping troubles could attempt a last-ditch effort to sign the Swede before the window slams shut.

A dream scenario for everyone connected to Stoke would be to see no interest garnered in the 26-year-old as the deadline approaches, as while it does feel almost inevitable that he will depart soon to a higher-placed club, his exit cannot, at any cost, be in the January window.

Johansson has not shown any desire to leave Stoke

Stoke's defensive stability has improved since Pelach's departure and Robins' arrival, and Johansson has kept clean sheets against Sunderland, Burnley, Plymouth and Oxford United in weeks gone by, which he will be pleased with, as it is clear that his backline is doing a lot more to stop the opposition forcing him into great saves to keep the score down.

The 26-year-old looks pleased to be with the Potters, which is a lot more than can be said for some players in recent years, and he has built a great relationship with supporters since his arrival, mainly due to his consistently standout showings.

He has only just completed his first half-season at the bet365 Stadium, and while some clubs are bound to have him on their radar as the window nears it's end, he has not yet shown any desire to leave the club, and spoke candidly about how well he has settled in to life at the club to StokeonTrentLive last month.

He said: “I am (happy) to be fair. I’ve settled in really nicely. We’re growing strongly as a group and I’m really happy at the moment.

“I think I’ve got more to give on the pitch. I’ve definitely got more to give.

"I like to live in the moment and focus on day to day and I know I’ve got more in the tank. I’m very pleased with how it’s going but I know I’ve got more to give.

"I really understand the feeling of being a supporter and what you expect from your team’s players.

"I just always want to give back as much as I can and put a smile on people’s faces. That’s what I do it for, it’s why I enjoy playing so much as well."

Those quotes certainly do not give the feel of a player that wants to leave anytime soon, which is ideal for the Potters, as despite their poor league position, it does look as if Johansson will remain a key component in their bid for survival this season.

Even if a club was to offer a big fee that would represent a massive profit on what he was bought for in the coming days, Stoke have to refuse it so close to the end of the window.

It would be too late to bring in an adequate replacement, and even then, there are probably not any realistic replacements for him out there for a club in the Potters' position. Regardless of any potential incomings, the club's dream deadline day absolutely involves him remaining a Stoke player past Monday night.