Stoke City should be open to offloading Andre Vidigal to suit all parties: View | OneFootball

Vidigal has failed to build on his strong start to life in the Potteries

Stoke City have some key transfer decisions to make in the coming weeks as Steven Schumacher shapes his squad ahead of the new campaign.

The Potters are yet to sell a player for a transfer fee so far this summer, but that is surely set to change in the coming weeks as the close of the transfer window edges ever closer.

They allowed numerous first-team players, including Tyrese Campbell, to leave upon the expiry of their contracts at the end of June, while young centre-backs Matthew Baker and David Okagbue have rejoined Newport County and Walsall on respective permanent deals for compensation fees, and promising goalkeeper Tommy Simkin has also joined the Saddlers on a season-long loan.

One player who Stoke should be open to allowing to leave is left-winger Andre Vidigal, after he was not used in the 2024/25 opening day win against Coventry City on August 10.

Vidigal had a strong start to life in English football after his arrival from Portuguese side Maritimo last summer, but his form ebbed away throughout the season, and he has been no more than a bit-part player in recent times under Schumacher.

The Potters will be looking to secure transfer fees for players that they think can be replaced or are not going to be imperative to their plans this season, and so the 25-year-old could see his future lie elsewhere beyond this month and Stoke should not stand in his way if any interest arises.

Vidigal has been a mixed bag since joining Stoke

There was understandable fanfare surrounding Vidigal's arrival in the Potteries last July, due to his previous pedigree as a Portuguese youth international and impressive exploits in the Primeira Liga with Maritimo in 2022/23.

On his first few outings, he looked to be worth every penny of the reported £450,000 that Stoke spent on bringing him to the club, as he netted a brace on the 2023/24 opening day to help his side to a 4-1 victory over Rotherham United, before going on to find the net three more times in his next five games in all competitions with winners against West Brom and Watford.

He continued to play his part in important wins over Sunderland, Leeds United and Middlesbrough, but his sudden lack of goals coincided with Stoke's poor run of results in November and December, and boss Alex Neil was soon sacked and replaced by Schumacher before the turn of the year.

Vidigal was handed starts in all of the former Plymouth boss' first six games in charge, and did net in a 3-1 win over Birmingham on Boxing Day, but soon saw his playing time dwindle with the January arrival of Vitesse winger Million Manhoef, and he only managed to make the starting eleven once in the final 15 league games, while not even making it off the bench in seven of those.

With that said, it is clear to see that Schumacher has not taken a huge liking to the 25-year-old, whether that be due to him not fitting his system, or another reason that is unclear, and so his departure seems likely if offers come in from domestic clubs or abroad.

He did impress in pre-season with a brace in a friendly against Crewe Alexandra on July 23, but then started on the bench behind full-back Lynden Gooch at left-wing in the season opener against Coventry, and saw Daniel Johnson, who had not featured in any league or cup game for the club since February, come on over him in his position as Schumacher looked to defend his side's lead late on.

Vidigal has fallen in Schumacher's pecking order

Vidigal's no-show against Coventry is a sure sign that the boss is not prepared to trust him in situations where his side are trying not to concede, and it seems unlikely that he will force his way into a consistent starting berth anytime soon over the options that Stoke have in his position.

Bae Jun-ho has been Schumacher's go-to on the left wing for the last six months, and he won Stoke's Player of the Season award after shining in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, so is undoubtedly set to continue as first-choice for the whole season, provided he stays beyond the transfer window amid apparent interest from Fulham.

The Potters have recently moved to bring in Liverpool youngster Lewis Koumas on a season-long loan deal, and he can play in a variety of different positions across the frontline, but has predominantly played out wide on the left for the Reds' youth sides in his short career so far, so will surely reprise that role with Stoke as he looks to properly break through into senior football.

On top of that, Lynden Gooch has been used by Schumacher in Vidigal's favoured position in pre-season and from the off against Coventry, and put in a solid shift against the Sky Blues to do no harm to his chances of continuing to be an option there for the coming months.

The former Portugal under-21 man could be in line for more games at right-wing after featuring there in pre-season, but will find himself behind Million Manhoef in the pecking order, and Stoke have recently been linked with interest in Reading winger Femi Azeez, so it seems as if they are looking for reinforcements out wide.

If Vidigal is not going to be given ample opportunities to showcase his talents, Stoke should be open to allowing him to leave this month, not least because his value should still be close to, or even higher than, the £450,000 they paid for him last summer.

It would surely make sense from his point of view to leave too, as he tries to find his feet elsewhere and prove why he first earned the move to Stoke, whether that means staying in England, or moving back in his native Portugal.