Stoke City: Steven Schumacher delivers defiant message amid Tottenham and Feyenoord interest | OneFootball

Stoke boss Steven Schumacher insists he'll build his team around Bae Junho and Wouter Burger

Stoke City boss Steven Schumacher insists that he plans to build his team around Bae Jun-ho and Wouter Burger amid recent interest from Feyenoord and Tottenham.

Despite a disappointing season which saw the Potters only survive relegation after a strong end to the season, 2023 summer signings Junho and Burger impressed at The bet365 Stadium, and it's no surprise that they're attracting transfer interest.

Dutch giants Feyenoord are reportedly keen on 20-year-old Junho, whilst Tottenham have been linked with a move for Dutch defensive midfielder Burger.

However, despite transfer interest from two big clubs, Stoke boss Schumacher is adamant that the duo are set to feature prominently in his plans for the upcoming campaign.

Schumacher is set for his first full season in charge of the Potters after taking over last December, and it's clear that he'll want players like Junho and Burger to remain at the club if his side are to have any chance of moving up the league table.

The pair started Stoke's 2-1 win away to Crewe on Tuesday night, which will perhaps give the Potters' faithful optimism that they're not set for a departure in the near future.

Speaking to the Stoke Sentinel, Schumacher was optimistic that the pair would still be Stoke players when the transfer window shuts.

He said: "I’d just say to our fans that speculation is good, it shows that our players are doing something well but there’s been no bids for either of them.

“Absolutely (they are a big part of my plans), both of them are.

"They were brought here last summer and knew the first season was going to be a season for them to bed in and as the season went on both of those players got stronger, especially Junho. Then Wouter’s come back in brilliant condition in the off-season and his pre-season has looked really sharp.

“We want to build our team around our best players not lose them.”

This will be music to the ears of Stoke City fans, and the Stoke Sentinel have also reported that it would take an extraordinary bid to loosen Stoke’s grip on South Korea international Jun-ho, whist Burger is not for sale.

It shows that the Potters are ambitious, and after years of bottom half finishes in the Championship, they'll be hoping that this is the year they move up the table and show signs of success.

Keeping Bae Junho and Wouter Burger would be huge for Stoke City

Whilst there has been no official bid for the pair yet, it would be a serious statement of intent if the Potters were able to keep the duo at the club this summer.

Some Championship clubs would almost certainly look to cash in on their two prized assets after hearing of interest from top clubs, but Stoke's hierarchy appear keen to right the wrongs of recent seasons and enjoy a successful 2024/25 campaign.

Attacking midfielder Junho played 40 games in all competitions for the Potters last season, scoring twice and registering six assists, while Burger made 41 appearances, scoring four goals and registering four assists.

The exciting thing for Stoke supporters is that the pair are still young and the 2023/24 campaign was their first in English football, so they should only get better and see their stock rise in the years to come.

It also must be remembered that they were playing in a poor side that looked in danger of being relegated before an impressive end to the season which saw them pick up 10 points out of a possible 12.

The duo are both contracted to Stoke until the summer of 2027, so the club have some certainty over their futures and won't be forced to sell this summer. Keeping them at The bet365 Stadium would be huge for the Potters, and they could help the club finally escape the lower echelons of the Championship table.