Prior to the summer transfer window, Stoke City right-back Junior Tchamadeu was linked to a move to Crystal Palace of the Premier League.
Although the Potters would like to keep him for the upcoming campaign, they should sell him to the Eagles if they can pay the reported asking price of up to £4.2 million for his services.
Tchamadeu, a Cameroonian international, just finished his second season with Stoke. In the Potters’ tumultuous first half of the previous season, he frequently found it difficult to influence games.
However, under Mark Robins, he blossomed in the final months and finished the season as one of the team’s most outstanding and developed players.
Stoke will undoubtedly want to keep him on for the foreseeable future, but they can’t afford to pass up good money for a player like the 21-year-old, who hasn’t really been a mainstay in their starting lineup since the year began.
FA Cup champions According to recent rumours, Stoke wants at least £4.2 million (€5 million) to approve a deal, and Palace is reportedly interested in signing him this summer.
If the Eagles can pay that asking price for his signature, it would be a huge commercial deal, and they should allow him to transfer to Selhurst Park. Junior Tchamadeu has recovered and is now a vital member of Stoke’s team.
Junior Tchamadeu has recovered and is now a vital member of Stoke’s team.
Tchamadeu joined Stoke as a fresh-faced 19-year-old from Colchester United nearly two years ago, and after a limited debut season, he was named the club’s permanent right-back last summer when Ki-Jana Hoever did not return after two impressive loan periods.
The position became particularly troublesome for Stoke in the early stages of this season, under both Steven Schumacher and Narcis Pelach, with many fans wondering why the club had not signed someone new who could play there, after some poor performances at the start of the season saw him dropped from the starting lineup.
Centre-back Pelach instead deployed Ben Wilmot on the right side of the back four, as Stoke stayed unbeaten in the four games he started in October and November, and Tchamadeu appeared to be in a similar position to what he had faced as a second-choice the previous season.
After Wilmot sustained an injury, the 21-year-old was quickly reintroduced to the starting lineup, and he had a successful comeback following Robins’ January hiring, with the former Coventry City manager only resting him once in the final 12 games of the season.
He was a vital role in their improved performance towards the conclusion of the season, and he was able to lead them to a major victory with a goal and an assist against QPR in March, which remains his best outing for the club since joining almost 18 months ago.
Boss Robins described his effort as a “standout performance,” but emphasised that he must “keep working” to reach his ambitions beyond this season.
It is evident that he is now one of the first names on Stoke’s teamsheet for 2025/26, and with good reason. Given that he was born and bred in the capital, it is not surprising that he has been associated with a higher-level position, which would undoubtedly appeal to him personally.
Stoke should sell Tchamadeu to Crystal Palace on one condition this summer.
Tchamadeu’s strengths have become obvious as his time in ST4 progressed. He has a tendency to drift out defensively, but he is a muscular, strong right-back who can dash away from an opponent and move the ball quickly up the pitch.
While he has undoubtedly pleased fans and coaches at the bet365 Stadium in recent months, it is fair to argue that he is far from a finished product at only 21 years old.
While it is not surprising that a club like Palace is interested in his talents, many Stoke fans, like Tchamadeu himself, believe he is not yet ready to be a regular for a top-flight squad.
| Junior Tchamadeu’s 2024/25 Championship statistics | |
|---|---|
| Appearances (starts) | 41 (35) |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 2 |
| Progressive passes per 90 | 2.87 |
| Progressive carries per 90 | 1.64 |
| Ball recoveries per 90 | 3.44 |
| Tackles per 90 | 1.29 |
As a Premier League club, the Eagles have plenty of money to spend on new players in the upcoming summer transfer window, especially since they may be selling Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi for large sums of money in the near future.
Stoke are, therefore, well within their rights to demand a fee of up to £4 million for Tchamadeu, based on his current ability and potential, and should only sell him to the FA Cup winners if they are willing to match that price.
The Potters are in no financial position to turn down reasonable offers for their players this summer, and the 21-year-old is no exception. It would be a shame to see him leave, but given the tiny money paid to Colchester to get him and the two years remaining on his contract, they should sell if the Eagles pay the proper price.
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