Stoke City latest: Barnsley striker wanted, Alex Neil sends honest message | OneFootball

Stoke City have had a slow start to the 2023/24 Championship campaign.

The Potters pushed the boat out in the summer window and signed more players than anyone else in the division, but that bullish ambition is yet to really bear fruit.

But, make no mistake about it, Stoke are proactively seeking to improve and ahead of this afternoon's encounter at home to Hull City, we've rounded all the latest news at the bet365 Stadium.

Stoke City eyeing transfer for Barnsley's Devante Cole

Stoke may well have signed no less than 18 players across the hectic summer window, but it appears that they're looking to incorporate even more fresh faces come January.

Indeed, as per teamTALK, they're currently running the rule over Barnsley forward Devante Cole - although they face stern competition from divisional rivals in doing so.

The striker has been in inspired form for the Tykes thus far with a return of nine goals in as many games, but understandable question marks over Cole's future have emerged in South Yorkshire as his current contract has under 12 months to run.

Cole also scored 15 times in the previous season and counts Middlesbrough, Stoke and Swansea City - the latter of whom are managed by ex-Barnsley boss Michael Duff - as his present suitors, and this one is definitely worth monitoring as we edge towards the turn of the year.

Alex Neil sends Stoke City message

There's a palpable feeling that Stoke aren't too far from cracking it.

Granted, they've failed to claim victory from any of their last four league outings, but they've genuinely played pretty well and displayed plenty of promising signs.

The issue, however, seems to be consistency, be it on a game-to-game basis or even just throughout the course of a match.

Neil has cited the "grey areas" that he believes are preventing his side from being a top team, and provided praise to the all-round performances that Stoke have been putting in.

He explained: "Our performances, in the main, have been good.

"People can argue that there has maybe been a 20-minute spell here and a 30-minute spell there but that’s going to happen.

"I don’t think there has been a game where we have a come away completely outplayed. "The one I was most disappointed with was Ipswich because I felt they looked like a team that had been together for 12 months, they were functioning well with not a lot of changes to their line-up and I thought that day we looked like a team which had been put together in a couple of weeks. "Since then, we have been gelling and bonding a hell of a lot better and I think we are getting to the stage where a lot of our general play is at a really good level. "I think it is just the grey areas that we need to brush up on to make the difference. "I understand this little spell has been a frustrating period in terms of results but I think performances have been there and I don’t think we’re far away.

"Hopefully, with just a little bit more consistency and cutting edge, we can find the answers we need to try and win the game."

Alex Neil makes Hull City admission

While undertaking his pre-match media duties, Neil also took time to detail his thoughts on the opposition - who he expects to propose a tough test.

The Scotsman had good words to say about the additions that boss Liam Rosenior has made at the MKM Stadium, while praising the style of play that has turned them into early-season potential play-off candidates, too.

Neil said of Hull: "They have made some really good additions at the top end of the pitch mainly and have started the season really well.

"They have a method of how they play and a good understanding in the squad of players of how to stay in games.

"I watched their game against Norwich and, although Norwich won the game in 96th minute and were very good in the game - creating a lot of chances - Hull stuck in there, were hard to break down and hard to beat.