Stoke City have a new double weapon that can cause serious Championship damage | OneFootball

Stoke City completed a late loan deal for Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi after long-term interest

Stoke City completed the deadline day signing of Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi on loan until the end of the season, fending off strong competition for the 23-year-old after a long-term pursuit.

Having come firing out of the blocks in the early stages of the campaign, spending much of the first half of the season in and around the top six, and at times the top two, Stoke have slipped down the league in recent months due to a downturn in form.

Whilst boasting one of the tightest defences in the second tier, the Potters simply haven’t been hitting the back of the net nearly enough to warrant a place in the top six.

Injuries across the pitch have not helped their case.

Viktor Johansson and his replacement Gavin Bazunu, signed in January on loan from Southampton, are to spend a matter of months out, whilst right-back Junior Tchamadeu, both left-backs Eric Bocat and Aaron Cresswell, midfielder Lewis Baker, and all three strikers Divin Mubama, Robert Bozenik, and Sam Gallagher have all, or are still out with injuries.

Certainly, the lack of options will have affected their form in one way or another, though manager Mark Robins has looked to remedy that by delving into the transfer market during January, completing deals for striker Milan Smit and winger duo Ato Ampah and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.

Rak-Sakyi spent the first half of the campaign on loan with top-flight Turkish side Rizespor, but has made the switch to the Potteries until the end of the season in a move that Robins will be hoping can help to fire them back up the table.

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Sorba Thomas have the potential to cause havoc for Championship defenders at Stoke City

Indeed, Stoke were far from the only club interested in Rak-Sakyi’s signature this month, with both Celtic and Millwall registering heavy interest in the winger, as well as French side Monaco, but the Englishman would choose Stoke-on-Trent over Monte Carlo, naturally.

Rak-Sakyi is no stranger to the Championship, having spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan with Sheffield United, scoring seven and assisting twice in 35 league games as the Blades narrowly missed out on promotion through the play-offs.

The Crystal Palace youth product also spent the 2022/23 season on loan in League One with Charlton Athletic, scoring 15 and assisting eight in what was a real breakthrough year for the attacker.

Now, Rak-Sakyi, whose favourite position is playing off the right flank to cut in on his left foot, will compete with the likes of Million Manhoef, Lamine Cisse, and fellow new arrival Ato Ampah for a place off the right, with Sorba Thomas having locked down the left flank.

Thomas has directly contributed to 44% of Stoke’s 34 goals this season, with nine goals and six assists, making the Potters factually the most one-man side in the Championship this season when it comes to directly contributing to putting the ball in the back of the net.

That being said, Robins will be hoping to take that burden somewhat off the Welsh international with the arrival of Rak-Sakyi to play off the other side, with the hopes that the pair can cause carnage for full-backs across the division.

Rak-Sakyi has shown glimpses of his undoubted ability during his time in the EFL, and he will be hoping that, alongside Thomas, he can help to get Potters fans off their seats and lift the club back up the table, with a play-off spot still far from ruled out.

As previously mentioned, Stoke have spent much of the season in and around the top six picture, but a drop-off in form has seen the club tumble down the table in recent weeks.

With the Potters having never previously finished in even the top half of the division since their relegation from the Premier League in 2018, a top-half finish was seen as a successful objective at the beginning of the campaign.

Now, having shown they have what it takes to battle in and amongst the top six, there will be an air of frustration around the place that they have not been able to sustain their form over the winter period.

Robins will be eager to see key players return from injury, and with the additions of players such as Smit, Ampah, and Rak-Sakyi, the former Coventry City boss will be hoping that they have what it takes to fire them back up the standings.

Rak-Sakyi will provide some much-needed competition out wide with the likes of Manhoef, Cisse, and Ampah, something which could well get the best out of each player, with no place in the side now a guarantee.

With Thomas on one wing and Rak-Sakyi on the other, the pair could prove to be one of the most effective duos in the division on their day, and Stoke will be hoping that they’re on their day more often than not, with a top-six finish still well up for grabs.