A few bright spots broke through the generally constant gloom of Stoke City’s 2024–25 campaign, even in the midst of a dismal season.
Viktor Johansson, the Swedish goalie who won the club’s player of the season award by a wide margin, was foremost among them. However, players like Million Manhoef, a youthful attacker, also proved their value—possibly in multiple ways.
After seven disappointing years since being relegated from the Premier League, many of Stoke’s supporters would have been expecting for a play-off campaign, but it required a final-day draw against Derby to guarantee that they would be a Championship team again the next season.
All of this implies that Stoke will likely have another “big summer,” perhaps their eighth since that sad day in May 2018, as Mark Robins, the most recent manager, shapes a team that should be able to turn around the team’s heartbreaking fall.
He has a lot of experience doing precisely that, most notably at Coventry City, where he managed a promotion and a devastating loss in the play-off final when the Sky Blues were just a penalty shootout away from a top-flight spot.
It won’t be easy since things are rarely easy when it comes to Stoke, and because of the club’s previous excesses, EFL spending regulations will once more restrict Robins’ options for team investments unless player sales are made first.
Manhoef—and Johansson, for that matter—enters the picture at this point. This summer, both players will attract admiring looks from opposing teams, and they each have a chance to make a respectable return.
However, Stoke fans have made it very evident to the team who should and shouldn’t be let go as part of this summer’s redevelopment.
Fans were asked who was expendable in order to raise money for Robins to spend in a vote conducted at the conclusion of the 2024–2025 season.
Manhoef, the 23-year-old winger who was signed from Vitesse Arnhem in February of last year, was in the lead among the available assets. According to 37% of respondents, the Dutch youth international should be sold. South Korean offensive midfielder Bae Junho, who was less effective last season after having a strong debut season at Stoke, came in second with 25% of the vote.
Manhoef, the 23-year-old winger who was signed from Vitesse Arnhem in February of last year, was in the lead among the available assets. According to 37% of respondents, the Dutch youth international should be sold. South Korean offensive midfielder Bae Junho, who was less effective last season after having a strong debut season at Stoke, came in second with 25% of the vote.
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