How Leeds United impacted €5m Stoke City transfer | OneFootball

Wouter Burger made the move from Stoke City to Hoffenheim last summer

Stoke City’s form has hit a rough patch in recent weeks, and it has hurt the team’s promotion chances.

Mark Robins’ side were one of the early front-runners for a top six finish this season, but they have been unable to maintain their performances into the second half of the term.

However, the Potters have dropped into the bottom half of the Championship table, and will need a strong run of results to bridge the gap to sixth place Wrexham in the final months of the campaign.

The gap to the play-offs is now 10 points, with the team winning just one of their last nine fixtures in the league, which has put the manager under pressure.

The 56-year-old took charge in January 2025, and he prevented the side from suffering relegation last season by guiding them to an 18th place finish.

Stoke avoided the drop by only two points, but they are now 13 clear of the bottom three, so some progress has been made in the last 12 months.

Wouter Burger explains Leeds United hold up in Stoke City exit

Wouter Burger has opened up on his departure from Stoke last summer, with the 25-year-old netting the Championship side a reported €5 (£4.3) million fee from German club Hoffenheim.

The midfielder explained that the Bundesliga outfit made an approach earlier in the summer, but that he had to wait for Leeds United’s deal to sign Anton Stach from Hoffenheim to go through before he could seal his exit from the English team.

He claimed that he could have stayed in England, but that it just felt right for him to make the switch to the top flight club.

“Hoffenheim approached me very early on and showed me a clear plan,” said Burger, via Sport Bild.

“I then had to wait a little while for Anton Stach’s transfer.

“I came to Germany and looked around, and it just felt right.

“I always go with my gut feeling.

“And it felt good.

“I could have stayed in England.

“But then I told myself that this was a perfect fit for me, and I took the plunge.”

Burger spent two seasons at Stoke prior to his move to Hoffenheim, and he managed 78 league appearances in that time.

The Dutchman contributed four goals and five assists, with the Potters finishing 17th and 18th.

Stoke are currently 14th in the table, and are still hopeful of making it back into the top half of the standings in the final 11 fixtures.

The gap to the play-offs is now 10 points, and it will take a remarkable set of circumstances for Robins’ side to overcome that gap now.

The club were relegated from the Premier League in 2018, but have not finished inside the top half of the second division table in any of the subsequent campaigns.

Next up for Stoke is a trip to face 16th place Swansea City on 7 March in a 3pm kick-off.

Wouter Burger is faring well in Germany

Burger has become a consistent presence for Hoffenheim this season, taking the step-up to the Bundesliga quite well.

He’s made 21 appearances in the German top flight, contributing an impressive four goals and five assists.

The 25-year-old’s performances have been key to the team competing for Champions League qualification, with the club currently third in the table.

Stoke may now be looking at how he is faring and wondering what kind of impact he could’ve had in Robins’ side this season had he stayed instead.