Stoke City told what is "the right thing" to do with Nathan Lowe in the transfer window | OneFootball

Lowe struggled after returning to the Potters squad in January from an impressive loan at Walsall

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Stoke City have been urged to send young striker Nathan Lowe out on loan to League One this summer, after he struggled to make an impact for the club in the Championship following his January recall from an impressive loan spell with League Two side Walsall.

Lowe joined the Saddlers on loan last summer and proved himself as one of the best players in the fourth-tier over the first half of the campaign, with individual awards aplenty and 18 goals and seven assists in 30 appearances across all competitions for the club in their push for promotion.

His strong fourth-tier form saw Stoke exercise their option to recall him to their own squad in January, after Tom Cannon returned to Leicester City, but the 19-year-old was unable to shine while back in the Championship, leaving his short-term future unclear as the Potters weigh up what is best for his development beyond the summer.

Stoke fan pundit issues Nathan Lowe, League One loan move verdict

The Potters surprised many fans across the EFL in January when it was announced that they had decided to recall Lowe from his brilliant spell at then-League Two leaders Walsall with immediate effect, but it did make sense at the time, given their lack of firepower in the final third and clear need for goals in the Championship relegation battle.

While he was a real hit in the fourth-tier and probably the best player in that league up to that point, the jump up to the second-tier proved to be a big one, and he failed to transfer that Saddlers form back to the bet365 Stadium in the second-half of the campaign.

Lowe enjoyed a dream return to the Potters' squad with a goal in his first game back against West Brom, but he then went on to play just 10 times as Stoke battled for survival, and even dropped back into the under-21 squad to play in two Premier League 2 games.

His outstanding spell at Walsall saw him nominated for numerous club and league individual awards at the end of the regular campaign, and he picked up the League Two Young Player of the Season award after also being nominated for the outright Player of the Season trophy.

Stoke will soon have to make their decision on Lowe and where he will be playing his football next term. He is bound to attract attention from throughout the EFL, and FLW's Potters fan pundit, Sam Harrison, has urged the club to send him to a League One side this summer, but does believe that boss Robins will give him a chance to prove himself as a Championship-ready player in pre-season.

"Next season with Nathan Lowe, I think the right thing is to send him out on loan," Sam told FLW.

"Obviously, it was League Two with Walsall, but I think League One is the right place for him next season. Loan him out.

"I think with Stoke’s striker options, he will be an option, and will be someone that Mark Robins definitely gives a chance to, but I think Stoke will bring in maybe two or three strikers, depending on who stays and who goes, so I think Nathan Lowe will go out on loan.

"I just think that, for him, after scoring 15 goals for Walsall whilst being there, and playing the vast majority of the minutes, he was very rarely being brought off, I just think that League One is where we will see how much quality he has.

"He’s gone out to League Two and absolutely smashed it out of the park, so I think League One is the right option.

"It’s not going to be that Mark Robins doesn’t give him a chance. I think, during pre-season, Lowe will want to be the leading man for Stoke. Of course he will.

"But, I think it is one right now where, for his development, he has got so much more time to lead the line for Stoke, it doesn’t have to be next season.

"Send him out to League One, to whoever, and hopefully he smashes it out the park. I think for a player like him, his age, his height, see how he does in League One.

"If he continues finding the back of the net, then Stoke have got a great player on their hands if they can keep hold of him.

"There could be a number of admirers looking to sign him on a permanent, because they have seen what he can do in League Two, so they will have that faith that he can make that step up."

Lowe's next destination will depend on Stoke's summer business - he needs another loan move

Stoke ended the most recent Championship campaign with just 45 goals in 46 outings, making them the second-lowest scorers across the whole of the league, only ahead of 21st-placed Hull City.

Their striker situation is clearly one that needs to be addressed as soon as possible in the summer transfer window, with Lowe and Sam Gallagher set to be the only centre-forwards at Robins' disposal when his players return for pre-season, as Ryan Mmaee has been told he can leave the club, and Emre Tezgel is out-of-contract and still yet to sign a new deal.

Lowe spent most of the second-half of the last campaign behind both Gallagher and Ipswich Town loanee Ali Al-Hamadi in the pecking order for places up-front, and it is clear that, in an ideal world, the Potters would have left him at Walsall where he was progressing nicely and on-course to help them win promotion at a canter.

This summer represents another great opportunity for Stoke to get their priorities in order and sort out their attacking options. At least one striker will surely be signed, but two through the door would definitely mean Lowe is allowed to leave on loan once again.

He has already been courted by a League One side, after Rotherham United made enquiries to sign him in January after he had been recalled to ST4, but their approaches were knocked back as Robins had made his decision to keep the 19-year-old in his squad.

With that said, and with his extraordinary League Two form in mind, a move to the third-tier certainly seems the most likely destination for Lowe this summer. The challenge for the Potters will now be finding the team that best suits his play-style, and one that will give him ample game-time to continue his progression as a player.