New Bae Junho, Stoke City transfer twist emerges - His future now looks clearer | OneFootball

Stoke City winger Bae Junho could be set to leave the club this summer

Stoke City winger Bae Junho has dropped a big hint about his future with the club, which could be coming to an end this summer.

The highly-rated forward, who is currently away on international duty with South Korea's under-22 side, has revealed that his representatives are in discussions with "many" unnamed clubs ahead of a potential exit from the Bet 365 Stadium in the coming weeks and months.

Junho signed for Stoke from K-League 1 outfit Daejeon Hana Citzen in August 2023 and enjoyed a positive debut campaign, in which he contributed two goals and five assists and won the club's Player of the Season award.

However, the 21-year-old came under criticism from supporters last time out in what proved a difficult and inconsistent season for both player and club. Stoke spent much of the season battling against relegation to League One before surviving in 18th position with a slender two-point advantage over 22nd-placed Luton Town, as Junho struggled to kick on from his first year in the Potteries by recording three goals and five assists from 45 Championship affairs.

The winger could now seal a summer exit from Stoke after two years with the club, and a recent admission has cast serious doubt over his future with Mark Robins' side ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Bae Junho reveals big Stoke City transfer admission

Junho, who has earned seven caps to date for South Korea's senior side, dropped a potentially huge admission about his future when speaking to the media from a training camp while away on international duty with his nation's under-22 set-up.

The playmaker revealed that his agents are in contact with an undisclosed number of clubs and that he is considering the situations and degree of interest from those sides.

It's said that Junho's representatives previously made the trip to Stoke to discuss his future and that the Potters, who are reportedly not in a position whereby significant sales are necessitated, are nonetheless braced to receive bids this summer.

Junho is quoted as saying: “This season, I felt more disappointed than last season, and I felt a variety of emotions.

“It's a shame that the team didn't finish the season on a good note. I think we need to forget about the past and prepare well for next season.

“It is true that my agents are in contact with many teams. All I can do is do my best in any given situation.

"Rather than wanting to go to a league or club, I want to think about a lot of things, such as how much they want me and what kind of situation they are in.”

Stoke City could gain a strong fee from Bae Junho transfer exit

Although Junho's time in Staffordshire has been somewhat inconsistent, with many feeling the best is still very much to come from the undoubtedly-talented wide-man, there is also little denying that he is an asset whom Stoke could well be tempted to cash in on.

His age and profile both make him an attractive proposition for other clubs, particularly those who can offer Junho the sort of stability he hasn't had while with Stoke. His two years in England have been spent under four different managers, as part of an underperforming side, and it's also easy to see why Junho himself could be encouraged by a move elsewhere.

Whether he has really merited that just yet is up for debate, but it may be in Stoke's best interests to consider offers at the right price.

Junho is still under contract for another two years, which hands the Potters welcomed bargaining power, and a sale for a multi-million-pound fee could offer a beneficial windfall for Robins to reinvest into his playing squad as he bids to push the side up the league table ahead of his first full term in charge.