The Stoke City players who may sign a pre-contract agreement away next month | OneFootball

Numerous Potters players could seal a move overseas in the new year with their contracts up at the end of the season

Stoke City are set to lose numerous first-team players soon with their contracts due to expire at the end of the season, and all of said Potters stars could move to sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club next month.

Spanish head coach Narcis Pelach has only had a few months to assess his squad so far, but will have to sanction some big decisions in the coming months as the Potters decide who to keep around, or who to let leave, in 2025.

Stoke allowed some key first team members, such as Tyrese Campbell, to leave upon the expiry of their deals earlier this year, and so sporting director Jonathan Walters is clearly no stranger to making important decisions that have implications in the transfer market.

Any Stoke player that has their contract up at the end of this season will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club in the new year, ahead of a move away in June after the campaign finishes.

It remains to be seen what kind of decisions the Potters will make in months to come, so with that in mind, FLW have taken a look at the seven players who are currently set to depart ST4 next summer, and will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas side in January.

Enda Stevens

Left-back Enda Stevens was set to leave Stoke in May but accepted a contract extension to keep him at the club until next summer despite a largely tough first season in the Potteries.

He joined the club from Sheffield United last summer on an initial one-year deal, and was a fairly consistent starter at the beginning of the campaign, but suffered a calf injury in December that kept him out of action until March.

The Republic of Ireland international came back into the fold and impressed towards the end of the campaign, prompting the Potters to offer him a new 12-month deal, but he has been hampered by injuries again in the last few months and has been ousted from the starting lineup by summer signing Eric Bocat.

Jordan Thompson

Northern Ireland international midfielder Jordan Thompson was due to be out of contract at the end of last season, but saw the option to extend his deal by another year triggered by Stoke due to his growing influence on Steven Schumacher's side in 2023/24.

Thompson has been a useful utility player for Stoke over the years, and mainly featured at left-back last season in the absence of Enda Stevens, but has returned to his usual defensive midfield position this term.

The 27-year-old is the Potters' current longest-serving player after Campbell's summer departure, and has made over 150 appearances for the club since joining in January 2020, but will be free to move on in January unless he is offered fresh terms.

Emre Tezgel

Emre Tezgel has been highly rated for a number of years as a youth striker and is just beginning to make his mark on senior football, so it may come as a surprise to many that he features on this list.

He made his first-team debut at 16-years-old in 2022, but is now 19 and has fully broken into Stoke's first-team this season, and started to score goals at senior level for the first time in his short career out on loan at MK Dons last season.

It is pretty imperative that Stoke tie him down to a new long-term deal as quickly as possible - he is widely seen as the future of the club and has the potential to go to the very top, so they must keep hold of him while they can.

Michael Rose

Michael Rose joined Stoke last summer, putting pen to paper on a two-year deal on a free transfer from Coventry City after four years with the Sky Blues.

The 28-year-old was a near ever-present in his debut season at the bet365 Stadium as he made 41 appearances in all competitions, but suffered an ankle injury in pre-season which meant he missed the start of the new campaign.

He faces strong competition for a place in the starting XI with Ashley Phillips, Ben Gibson, and Ben Wilmot all battling with him in the centre-back pecking order, and is set to be free to look for a potential move overseas in the new year.

Lynden Gooch

Lynden Gooch joined Stoke from boyhood club Sunderland on a two-year deal last summer but failed to nail down a consistent starting role under Alex Neil or Schumacher in his maiden season at the bet365 Stadium.

The 28-year-old featured 30 times in all competitions, scoring twice, and was a handy versatile option to have from the bench after he played as a full-back on both flanks, wing-back on both flanks and at left-wing for the Potters.

He probably had more game time than expected at the start of this season, but is currently just returning from injury and may find it tough to break back into the starting XI under Pelach before he can leave for free next year.

Jack Bonham

Jack Bonham has not been able to nail down a consistent starting spot in goal for the Potters since his arrival from Gillingham in 2021 but has featured a lot more than a number two keeper would expect, due to injuries, player sales and loans being recalled.

Bonham was signed as third-choice by Michael O'Neill but ended up playing 17 times in all competitions in his debut campaign, then featured 27 times in 2022/23 and even played 16 games last season.

He signed a contract extension last November to see him through to next summer, so he is set to leave after four years at the club in 2025 if nothing changes.

Frank Fielding

Veteran goalkeeper Frank Fielding only signed a short-term contract with Stoke upon his arrival on a free transfer in December 2021 to cover for injuries, but he has since penned three different contract extensions at the club to date, with the latest coming at the end of last season as he extended his deal for another year.

He has rarely featured on the pitch while with the Potters, but that is understandable since he is now 36, and he is likely a very useful, experienced head to have in the dressing room when younger players need advice.

It remains to be seen whether he will be offered another deal before his contract ends next summer, but if he isn't, it may spell the end of his 17-year career that has seen him make 364 appearances for 10 different clubs.