Exclusive: How Don Goodman thinks Stoke City star can emulate Nathan Lowe - Jon Walters has a plan | OneFootball

Speaking exclusively with FLW, Don Goodman has been discussing Emre Tezgel's Stoke City future.

Don Goodman believes Emre Tezgel can follow in the footsteps of Nathan Lowe as Stoke City prepare to make a call on the 19-year-old's immediate future.

Tezgel has been highly-rated for quite some time by those in the inner-workings of the bet365 Stadium, having already made 23 senior appearances for the Potters during the early stages of his career, scoring twice.

Mark Robins is currently preparing for his first full season in charge of the North Staffordshire outfit having guided the club to safety in the Championship, with the former Coventry City boss looking to emulate his previous successes at the CBS Arena with Stoke, who have underachieved ever since being relegated from the Premier League seven years ago.

There are plenty of big calls for the 55-year-old to make alongside the likes of sporting director, Jon Walters, who has already issued a potential development plan for Tezgel after the prospect recently put pen-to-paper on a new two-year deal, quashing any doubt of him potentially becoming a free agent at such a young age.

Speaking to official club channels after confirmation of the forward's new deal was made public, Walters outlined what Tezgel's next steps could be after working alongside other members of the hierarchy when it comes to development at the bet365.

"As a local lad who has progressed through our Academy pathway in its entirety, it’s really positive news that Emre has committed his future to Stoke City," the sporting director stated.

"Gareth (Owen, academy technical director) and I have spent a lot of time with Emre and his representatives this summer to map out the next stage of his career as he seeks to play regular first team football.

"We are aligned in our position that Emre is at the stage of his development where he needs to build on his first loan at MK Dons and his appearances here with increased exposure to first team football in the upcoming campaign.

"If the right opportunity in the right environment arises for Emre, then that may well be out on loan, as we saw with much success for both Nathan Lowe and Tommy Simkin last season."

Speaking exclusively to FLW, Goodman believes that this would be a scenario which benefits all parties, as Tezgel eventually looks to assert himself as a first-team regular.

"There's no doubt that he's highly thought of at Stoke City, Emre Tezgel," the Sky Sports pundit began. "So, a loan move would be in order. You would think he'd be very keen to get regular first-team football.

"He would, obviously, be able to speak with Nathan Lowe and get information of his experience at Walsall last season which, obviously, gave him regular football at a high level and benefitted him. There's no doubt about that.

"This is a player who scores for fun at academy level," Goodman continued. "I'm just looking at his last four games in the Stoke City academy against Norwich, Wolves, Derby and Aston Villa. He scored eight goals in his last four games.

"He clearly knows where the back of the net is. But, I think Jon Walters and Stoke City will be careful where they send him, but will definitely want him to taste regular first-team football next season."

Emre Tezgel would hope to emulate Nathan Lowe success on one condition

It's no surprise that early comparisons are being made between Tezgel and Lowe's previous predicaments at Walsall, and whilst an emulation of the fellow striker's success under Mat Sadler would be a target, it is imperative that Stoke don't stunt the forward's development.

Lowe netted a remarkable tally of 15 goals in just 22 league appearances for the Saddlers, who sat top of League Two prior to his recall in January, eventually missing out on promotion altogether as they were defeated in the play-off final by AFC Wimbledon last month.

Such a decision was undoubtedly one of the key reasons behind Walsall's drastic drop-off in form, but recent circumstances will have no doubt frustrated Lowe, who made just four starts and 10 appearances during the second half of the season for Stoke.

Tezgel's previous loan spell away from the Potteries came during the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, registering three goals and as many assists in just 17 appearances for MK Dons, which was a respectable return at just 18 years of age.

Of course, his record at academy level, as Goodman alluded to, is well-documented. But, there will be nothing more beneficial to the striker and Stoke's future prospects than a full season of first-team football in League One or League Two.