5 players Stoke City could sign for £0 ft ex-Sunderland defender | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at five players Stoke City should consider signing on free transfers this summer

Stoke City are in desperate need of a strong summer transfer window to fill their despondent fanbase with some hope and optimism ahead of a hugely important campaign for the club.

Stoke's 2025/26 campaign started so brightly, with four wins in their opening five league games, and by the time the beginning of November rolled around, they were facing Coventry City in a first versus second affair at the bet365 Stadium, which they would fall to a 1-0 defeat.

Since then, the Potters never recovered, slipping all the way from an almost certain top-half finish to their tenth consecutive bottom-half finish in a row, as Stoke supporters tore their hair out in frustration and anguish.

Mark Robins has come under increased pressure for his performance at the helm of the club, but his credit in the bank from his incredible spell with Coventry has seemingly kept him in the job, and he will be tasked to lead the Potters into the summer transfer window.

Alongside sporting director Jon Walters and newly appointed technical director Stuart Harvey, Robins will be hoping to conduct some important pieces of business over the next few months, and should be looking to delve into the free agent market for some cheap gems, as FLW takes a look at five players they should consider bringing in that will cost nothing.

Dennis Cirkin

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Sunderland have announced the departures of Dan Neil, Bertrand Traore, and Dennis Cirkin at the end of their contracts this summer, with the Latvian left-back seeing his five-year stay on Wearside come to an end.

Cirkin, 24, played crucial roles in Sunderland's promotion from both League One and the Championship, but following their venture into the Premier League, he saw his game time slashed by Regis Le Bris following the signing of Reinildo, whilst Trai Hume was also preferred at left-back on occasion.

Now, Cirkin is set to be on the lookout for a new club this summer, and is bound to have offers on the table, and Mark Robins must ensure Stoke is one of those to sort out their problematic left-back situation, which has plagued them for numerous years.

Mark Sykes

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Mark Sykes is not one of the flashiest names in the Championship by any stretch of the imagination, but the versatile Irishman is a player that Robins has previously tried to sign as one of his first actions when arriving at Stoke in January 2025, and will likely be one he will revisit this summer following his release from Bristol City.

The 28-year-old began his professional career in Northern Ireland before making the journey across the Irish Sea to Oxford United in January 2019, where he would spend three-and-a-half years before joining Bristol City in the summer of 2022.

Four years on, Sykes has made over 150 appearances for the Robins across all competitions and filled in several positions to great effect, and on a free transfer, would be a solid option for Stoke this summer, capable of plugging numerous gaps in defence, midfield, and attack.

Billy Mitchell

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London-born Billy Mitchell has spent his entire youth and professional career with Millwall, having progressed through the club's academy system all the way to the first team, where he has made just shy of 200 appearances for the Lions across all competitions.

However, Mitchell, 25, looks set to leave The Den at the end of his contract this summer, with Football League World having previously exclusively revealed that the midfielder turned down an extension with his boyhood club.

With Lewis Baker and Steven Nzonzi having been released by Stoke, this leaves Tomas Rigo, Ben Pearson, and Tatsuki Seko as the only other options in the middle of the park for the Potters, and you'd imagine Robins will be looking to address this issue with some midfield recruits.

Mitchell fits the bill for what Stoke need and lack in the middle of the park, and his addition, especially on a free, would be a real coup.

Sam Byram

When Junior Tchamadeu jetted off to the AFCON to represent Cameroon in the winter, a problem that had been on the horizon since the end of the summer transfer window arrived, as Stoke had no other senior right-back to replace him.

Tchamadeu picked up an injury whilst on international duty, ruling him out for months, as each of Bosun Lawal, Maksym Talovierov, Sorba Thomas, and Sydney Agina deputised at right-back in his absence to varying degrees of success.

This is an issue Robins simply cannot afford to ignore for another summer, and the addition of Sam Byram following his release from Leeds United could be exactly what they need.

Tchamadeu will almost certainly retain his place at right-back next season, having recently signed a new deal, meaning a dependable backup is required, and with over 200 Championship appearances to his name, the 32-year-old Byram is more than ideal for the Potters.

Steven Benda

Another injury problem that bit Robins on the back was that of Viktor Johansson, who injured his shoulder in a clash against Sheffield United in late December.

Backup Jack Bonham was sold to Bolton Wanderers in January, leading Stoke to recall Tommy Simkin from his loan spell at League One Leyton Orient, as Gavin Bazunu was signed on loan from Southampton as an extra option.

Bazunu subsequently picked up an injury of his own, as Simkin was thrown in the deep end, and his addition to the side only highlighted Johansson's importance to the side.

The Swedish international has since signed a new four-year deal at the club, but with no obvious backup in their ranks, they should consider moving for German goalkeeper Steven Benda following his release from Fulham.

Benda recently spent the first half of the campaign on loan with Millwall, and the second half with Feyenoord, with whom he featured for just once.

Whether he wants to act as a backup once again remains to be seen, but Stoke should be looking for a solid second-choice to Johansson this summer, and Benda fits the bill.