Ike Ugbo in: 2 deals Stoke City can be expected to make before the EFL kick-off on August 9th | OneFootball

The Potters are expected to be busy in the next few weeks before the new season begins

Stoke City need to make some smart transfer decisions in the coming months to help them push up the table next season under Steven Schumacher.

The Potters have already signed standout goalkeeper Viktor Johansson, experienced centre-back Ben Gibson, and exciting wing-back Eric Junior Bocat from Rotherham United, Norwich City, and Sint-Truiden respectively, and are set to be busy in the transfer market in the coming weeks as Steven Schumacher shapes his squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Ahead of the former Plymouth Argyle boss' first summer transfer window, he allowed Tyrese Campbell to leave after eight years with the club, despite a strong end to the campaign, and Ciaran Clark, Wesley, Tom Edwards, and D'Margio Wright-Phillips all departed upon the expiry of their contracts.

Matthew Baker and David Okagbue, meanwhile, have rejoined Newport County and Walsall on respective permanent deals, and young goalkeeper Tommy Simkin has also joined the Saddlers on a season-long loan.

Schumacher and co. still have a lot of work to do in this summer window in terms of incomings and outgoings, and with that said, these are two deals that the Potters can possibly expect to complete before they take on Coventry City on the opening weekend of the Championship season on August 10.

In: Ike Ugbo

Ike Ugbo proved himself as a prolific scorer in the second-tier last season with Sheffield Wednesday, and now faces an uncertain future as clubs battle for his permanent signature this summer.

The London-born Canadian international initially joined Cardiff City on loan from Ligue 1 parent club Troyes last summer, but failed to nail down a starting spot in South Wales despite an impressive start to the campaign and was recalled in January and sent back out on loan to Wednesday.

Ugbo proved a hit at Hillsborough in his six-month spell under Danny Rohl, as he netted seven goals in 18 Championship outings and was even nominated for the Championship Player of the Month after scoring five times in as many games in February.

According to journalist Darren Witcoop and the Sheffield Star, the 25-year-old is wanted by Stoke as Steven Schumacher looks to bolster his attacking ranks, amid a bid from Wednesday, and interest from Birmingham City and QPR.

Wednesday may hold a sentimental value over the Potters in the hunt for his signature, but Witcoop has revealed that a deal is 'not close' despite Ugbo being happy to return to South Yorkshire, and their initial offer was 'not deemed acceptable' by Troyes, according to the Star.

Troyes acquired his services for €3m (£2.5m) from Genk in 2022, and will surely be looking for a profit this summer, so it is likely that the Owls did not offer any more than that amount and may not be willing to go much higher as Danny Rohl looks to improve different areas of his squad.

Stoke are clearly after a striker this summer, as shown by their previous links to Tom Cannon and Sinclair Armstrong, and hold financial power over all other second-tier clubs linked with Ugbo, and play in a league higher than Birmingham, so it is a potential deal that could be made for the Potters if the price is right.

Out: Josh Laurent

The Potters' club captain Josh Laurent has been the subject of serious transfer interest from England and abroad this summer and could reportedly leave the club in the coming weeks.

According to TeamTalk, Stoke accepted an offer for the 29-year-old from Turkish Super Lig side Sivasspor on July 16 but Laurent himself declined the move after not engaging in negotiations about personal terms.

That Sivasspor deal was worth £500,000, according to The Athletic, but it is thought that Laurent would prefer a domestic transfer with Birmingham City also heavily linked.

He moved from Reading to the bet365 Stadium in 2022 and has since become club captain and a key player in central midfield under both Alex Neil and current head coach Schumacher, but could see his time in the Potteries end soon with one year left on his current contract.

Laurent has also been targeted by another Süper Lig side in Gaziantep, according to Turkish outlet Telgraf, while another update from The Athletic states that he is attracting interest from elsewhere in the Championship, so it seems plausible that he could leave the club soon if Stoke receive a bid that they feel is appropriate.