Stoke City must revisit Man United transfer after QPR reveal - Mark Robins action to be taken? | OneFootball

Stoke City should plot a return to a deal for Harry Amass this summer after QPR's latest interest

Stoke City will be preparing for their ninth consecutive year in the Championship, with relegation and promotion no longer a possibility for the Potters, and preparations for the summer window are likely well underway.

With four wins in their opening five league games to kick off the 2025/26 Championship season, it looked as if Stoke finally had the monkey off their back of finishing in the lower half of whichever division they are in, but, as it would happen, the Potters have slipped back towards mediocrity once again.

A frustrating year is set to be capped off with an away trip to Bristol City on the final day, where Mark Robins' side will be hoping to claim all three points and end their disappointing campaign on a high.

There have been few highlights across the squad, in truth, with Sorba Thomas' exploits from the wing being the only thing to write home about. However, their defensive record for the majority of the season has been solid, before recently, with several factors tarnishing their displays at the back, none more so than injuries.

In their 2-0 away defeat to Wrexham, Stoke had the likes of Viktor Johansson, Junior Tchamadeu, Ben Wilmot, Ben Gibson, and Maksym Talovierov all injured, whilst Ashley Phillips served a one-game suspension, seeing Thomas cover at right-back, and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi cover at left-back with Eric Bocat at centre-back for the second half.

Another overhaul in the playing squad in the Potteries this summer is more than necessary, and Robins should look to reignite interest in a left-back that is set to be in high demand across the coming months.

Stoke City should reignite interest in Manchester United's Harry Amass after latest Queens Park Rangers interest

Harry Amass is a player who will almost certainly have heavy interest from the Championship heading into the summer window, with Queens Park Rangers already reportedly outlining the left-back as a potential target, as per West London Sport.

Amass spent the first half of the season on loan at Sheffield Wednesday from Manchester United, and shone during his matter of months at Hillsborough, scoring once and assisting once in 21 league games for the Owls.

Heading into the January window, there was much speculation surrounding Amass' future, as a recall to United before being loaned out elsewhere was heavily touted, as Stoke were one of several clubs reportedly tracking his signature.

However, it would be Norwich City that would manage to get a deal across the line for the teenager, though his season would come to an abrupt end after sustaining a hamstring injury in training after just one appearance for the Canaries.

The 19-year-old returned to Manchester for treatment on the injury, and ahead of this summer, it looks likely to once again head out on loan to the second tier to continue his development.

With QPR lurking, Stoke should rejoin the queue for his signature, with Robins clearly a fan of the energetic youngster.

Robins has the advantage of having formerly played for United, though whether that will have any sort of sway in negotiations remains to be seen.

Bocat has been persistently linked with a return to Belgium over recent windows, having joined from St.Truiden in the summer of 2024, with Standard Liege reportedly sustaining a long-term interest in the Frenchman.

If Bocat were to leave this summer, that would leave just 36-year-old Aaron Cresswell as the only other option, though with his one-year deal set to expire this summer, even he may be on the cusp of an exit.

In any instance, a new left-back will be a necessity for Stoke, and Amass would be an excellent short-term option for Robins, having displayed his undoubted quality whilst on loan with Wednesday previously.

QPR will be just one of a number of clubs tracking his situation, as Stoke should be doing everything they can to get their noses in front in the race for his signature.

Left-back has been a persistent problem for Stoke City over the years

For Stoke, left-back has been an area of persistent problems over the years.

Though Bocat has performed well when called upon the majority of the time, injuries have disrupted his playing time, as each of Lynden Gooch, Josh Wilson-Esbrand, Enda Stevens, Morgan Fox, and Alfie Doughty have all been signed in recent years to play there to varying degrees of success.

In truth, since Josh Tymon's departure to Swansea in 2024, left-back has been consistently a problem area, and something Robins should look to address in the long-term.

Amass would be an excellent option in the short-term, though with that only likely being a loan deal, it would once again leave Stoke searching for another option once he departs.

Certainly, Amass should be a priority, but in the event that both Cresswell and Bocat both leave, another longer-term alternative must be sourced from somewhere.