Stoke City can't afford to allow £6m bargain Man Utd deal to slip away | OneFootball

Stoke City cannot afford to miss out on the potential bargain of Harry Amass this summer after Man United's transfer decisison

Stoke City’s transfer business has somewhat stalled after a rapid start to the summer window, in which five fresh faces arrived in the Potteries, as head coach Mark Robins must get things back up and running again after a former target has reportedly become available for a bargain price.

Indeed, it’s been nearly a month since Stoke last confirmed a new addition, having signed five players prior to travelling to Austria for their pre-season camp.

Joshua Griffiths arrived from West Bromwich Albion to provide competition for Viktor Johansson between the sticks, whilst Djibril Soumare, Svante Ingelsson, and Ethan Galbraith joined from Braga, Sheffield Wednesday, and Swansea City, respectively, to add strength and depth in the middle of the park.

Luke Graham’s addition from Dundee has rounded out things for now, with the Scot expected to slot right in at centre-half at the bet365 Stadium.

However, more additions between now and the end of the window are a necessity, especially in the historically problematic full-back areas, as Robins must reignite his interest in a former target following the news of his potential availability for a bargain fee.

Stoke City should revisit a deal for Manchester United’s Harry Amass after the youngster’s price tag is revealed

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Both full-back areas have caused problems for Stoke in recent years, as left-back, in particular, proves to have a continuous question mark over it for the Potters.

Eric Bocat has more often than not been first choice when fit, whilst Aaron Cresswell has extended his stay in North Staffordshire after joining on a free transfer from West Ham United last summer.

However, Cresswell has struggled with injuries, and at 36, cannot be relied upon anymore to remain fit and in constant contention.

A younger, more exciting option that can make that position their own ought to be on the cards, as Stoke should plot a move for Manchester United's Harry Amass after it was revealed by The Athletic that he could be available for transfer for as little as £6 million this summer.

Amass, 19, spent the first half of last season on loan with Sheffield Wednesday and excelled in his wing-back role for the Owls despite the club's struggles, and subsequently joined Norwich City in January after being recalled.

An injury in training with the Canaries would end his season early, as now, despite having impressed for the Red Devils in pre-season, he could be on the verge of a permanent exit, and for the quoted fee of just £6 million, could be a bargain.

Stoke had previously registered an interest in Amass last January prior to his move to Norfolk, and now should be swiftly reigniting their interest in the youngster.

What type of player is Harry Amass?

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Amass has made his way through the ranks at Old Trafford, having made the move North-West from Watford in 2023, and has made seven first-team appearances for the Red Devils to date.

Capable of playing as a left-back in either a back four or as a wing-back in a back five, which he did with great success at Wednesday, the England youth international's dynamism and liveliness down the left flank make him a nightmare for opposition to deal with.

With 34 successful dribbles and 37 fouls won last season, as per FotMob, Amass' ability to take on defenders despite his age and confidence in doing so bodes extremely well for the future, and would provide Stoke with an extra attacking threat down the left.

Though with 153 defensive contributions and 65 tackles, he is not afraid of getting stuck in either, proving his capability of thriving in both attack and defence, whilst his ability to get on the ball and dribble would serve as incredibly useful in the build-up phase.

Still just 19, should any team pick him up for just £6 million this summer, they'll have a bargain, as Stoke should launch themselves directly to the front of the queue to sign a player that could be their starting left-back for years to come.

Mark Robins and Stoke City cannot afford to allow Championship rivals to secure Harry Amass

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Robins knows exactly what it takes to rebuild a squad and take them to the next level, having done so repeatedly during his spell with Coventry, where he narrowly missed out on a place in the Premier League with the Sky Blues.

The 56-year-old has found little success during his time with the Potters so far, and will be looking to change that ahead of next campaign.

Amass would arrive and instantly become Stoke's starting left-back, and could hold down that position for years to come, as for just £6 million, Robins simply cannot allow a Championship rival to beat them to the post on this deal.