Steven Schumacher will hope Stoke City weapon explodes into life in 24/25: View | OneFootball

The Potters have a Dutch weapon ready to be unleashed in the Championship next season

Steven Schumacher had a positive end to the season with his Stoke City side, clawing away from relegation to League One with impressive wins against relegation candidate Plymouth Argyle, play-off hopefuls Southampton and then a 4-0 thumping of Liam Manning's Bristol City.

Whilst there wasn't a lot to shout about for the former Premier League club, there were glimmers of hope at the end of the campaign that can be built around for next season. The expectation for the club, given their financial strength, is promotion, and there is one man who is showing he can be a real threat at this level.

One-in-a-Million Manhoef saved Stoke's season

Former Vitesse academy graduate Million Manhoef arrived at the Bet365 Stadium on 1 February 2024 for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract. Despite having a quiet start in England's second division, he has since shown Schumacher why he should be playing regular Championship football next season. The 22-year-old Dutch winger caught the attention of everyone who watched him at the tail end of the campaign, bagging all four of his Championship goals in the final six games.

The explosive run of form was arguably a big reason why Stoke managed to survive in the Championship, starting with his first goal against West Brom in the 68th minute to ignite a comeback that would rescue a point. The strike inside the box was done at exactly the right moment, cutting inside and placing the ball on the goalkeeper's nearside, who was wrong-footed by the shot.

Manhoef's second goal for Schumacher's revitalised side came in an impressive victory against Plymouth. He found the back of the net in added time in the first half, shortly after teammate Ki-Jana Hoever got the first of the game. The ball found itself at Manhoef's feet inside the D, before turning and smashing the ball hard and low into the bottom-right of the goal. The effort showed that the youngster has an impressive striking sense, which would continue for his brace against Bristol City.

He appears to have a good feeling on the ball around half-time, as his third successful strike came just before the break in a thumping of Bristol City. He was involved in many of the clinical attacking moves for Stoke but impressed the crowd when he struck a sumptuous effort into the top-left of the goal across keeper Max O'Leary.

His second-half finessed effort from 20 yards out is what cemented him as one to watch under Schumacher next season, as he is a clear outlier in a relatively uninspiring squad. Manhoef is something different for the Staffordshire-based side, confusing defenders and looking like a constant goal-scoring threat with a left foot that has looked magical in glimpses.

A man(hoef) to build around

This summer will see manager Schumacher's first off-season transfer window to try and build his vision for the Potters. After being appointed on 19 December 2023, Schumacher made the Dutchman one of his first signings in January, alongside both Luke Cundle and Niall Ennis, who he'd worked with before.

Stoke have tried and failed with experienced attacking talent, having released former Newcastle striker Dwight Gayle after failing to deliver the "exceptional" Championship performances that were teased. Schumacher's appointment is a clear sign of a pivot from the club towards signing younger players and developing them.

The right side is going to be a point of focus for Stoke going forward, with the Netherlands connection that has proven Manhoef's link-up ability. Hoever and Manhoef have been formidable during the last few games of the season, so Schumacher will want to try and bring the former back to the club following his return to Wolves or recruit a strong supporting player for his young winger.

Manhoef has only had a short stint under Schumacher so far, with the manager recently pointing out that "he needs to go away in the summer, rest and recover and then come back in a real good physical state because he needs to be able to produce that Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday-Tuesday".

If he is to become a staple of the side, he will need to quickly adjust to the demanding nature of the Championship.

The summer has already seen deadwood being trimmed at the club, as the released and retained list indicates a big rebuild for a team who were a few match days away from League One football. If the club's summer strategy is strong, they'll build around talents like Manhoef who will surely be a big part of the push for the play-offs next season.