Stoke City's 8 biggest transfer flops that supporters will want to forget

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·11 November 2023

Stoke City's 8 biggest transfer flops that supporters will want to forget

Highlights

Wilfried Bony's time at Stoke was a disaster; he only scored twice and had a falling out with the manager.
Michael Owen's stint at Stoke was disappointing; he only made eight substitute appearances and scored one goal.
Kevin Wimmer's signing was a waste of funds; he made 17 appearances in Stoke's relegation campaign and his contract was terminated in 2021.

A whole host of big names have walked through the doors at Stoke's bet365 Stadium and have been unable to live up to the expectations of Stoke fans.

In this article we'll be looking at eight Stoke City signings that supporters would rather forget...

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Wilfried Bony

Ivorian striker Bony joined the Potters on a season-long loan from Manchester City in 2016. Better known for his time at Swansea, he was once considered one of the best strikers in the Premier League, earning a move to Manchester after a successful 18 months in south Wales.

However, Bony was not the same player during his time in the Potteries, scoring just twice, both goals ironically coming in a game against Swansea. He made just eleven appearances for Stoke after falling out with manager Mark Hughes because he decided to represent the Ivory Coast in their 2017 Africa Cup of Nations campaign. A disaster all round.

Michael Owen

Ballon d'Or winner Owen joined Stoke on a 1-year deal ahead of the 2012/13 season. There's no doubt that Owen was winding down his career at this stage, but Stoke fans would have expected more from the ex-Real Madrid man.

Kevin Wimmer

Austrian defender Wimmer joined the Potters for £18million ahead of the 2017/18 season. It would prove a disastrous spell for the ex-Spurs man as he made 17 Premier League appearances in Stoke's relegation campaign. The transfer fee proved a monumental waste of funds for a player who didn't perform in a Stoke shirt.

He spent the following seasons on loan in Germany and Belgium before finally having his contract terminated in May 2021. Now 30, he joined Rapid Wien following the termination of his contract before joining Slovan Bratislavia earlier this year.

Saido Berahino

Striker Berahino joined Stoke from West Brom in January 2017. Berahino made 15 appearances in all competitions during the 2017/18 season, failing to hit the back of the net once, adding to his goalless second-half of the season during the 2016/17 campaign.

The Burundi international did fare slightly better in the Championship the following season, he scored five goals in 26 games across all competitions before leaving for Belgian outfit Zulte Waregem. Now 30, Berahino plays in Cyprus for AEL Limassol.

Giannelli Imbula

Defensive midfielder Imbula joined Stoke for a fee of around £18million in the winter transfer window of 2016 from Porto. Imbula made a reasonably decent start to life during the 2015/16 season, but things turned sour in the seasons to come.

He made just 12 appearances during the 2016/17 season before spending the following seasons on loan at Toulouse, Rayo Vallecano and Lecce. His contract was terminated in February 2020, almost three years since he last played a game for them. Now plying his trade in Turkey for Istanbulspor.

Brek Shea

American international Brek Shea joined Stoke City in January 2013 after a successful trial. The Texas-born left-sided player had made a name for himself playing in the MLS for FC Dallas and the US national team.

However, things didn't go as planned for the American who made just a handful of appearances before being loaned to Championship sides, Barnsley and Birmingham City. He returned to the States in Decemeber 2014 with Orlando City before moves to Vancouver Whitecaps, Atalanta United and Inter Miami. He retired earlier this year.

Eidur Gudjohnsen

The former Chelsea and Barcelona man signed a one-year deal with Stoke ahead of the 2010/11 Premier League season after spending the second half of the 2009/10 season on loan with Tottenham.

However, the move backfired with the Icelandic international making just five substitute appearances for the Potters before joining fellow Premier League club Fulham on loan in January until the end of the season. He was released at the end of the season and joined Greek club AEK Athens. Retired in 2016.

Shay Given

Another well-known face, Irish goalkeeper Given joined Stoke as a 39-year-old in 2015. He was signed as cover for Jack Butland but made three Premier League appearances during the 2015/16 campaign where he conceded seven goals.

It didn't get any better the following season, Given conceded 14 goals in just five Premier League games as the 40-year-old veteran's age started to show. The Irishman enjoyed a great career at Premier League level but it could be argued he was no longer at the level required when he joined the Potters.