European transfer interest emerges in Stoke City player | OneFootball

Gaziantep are interested in signing Stoke City midfielder Josh Laurent.

Stoke City face a battle to keep hold of Josh Laurent after it was claimed that Gaziantep have ‘made an offer’ to the midfielder.

The Potters endured a miserable campaign last time out, as they once again finished in the bottom half of the Championship, whilst they also flirted with relegation, even after Steven Schumacher’s appointment.

However, there were some signs of positivity towards the end of the season, as Stoke won their final three games.

Nevertheless, Schumacher will want to make changes to ensure the side are competing at the other end of the table next season, with some new recruits already through the door.

Josh Laurent on radar of Turkish side

Yet, it won’t all be about incomings, as reports from Turkey have stated that Gaziantep are very keen on Laurent, who is about to enter the final year of his contract at the Bet365 Stadium.

The update reveals that the club are ‘accelerating’ plans to sign the ex-Reading man, and that they’ve been in discussions with his representatives.

It’s unclear what sort of fee they would be willing to spend on Laurent, but with his deal expiring in 12 months' time, they would be able to agree a pre-contract with the player from January 1, so that will impact his value.

Josh Laurent still has a lot to offer Stoke City

Obviously, every player has a price, so if a suitable offer does come in for Laurent, then it makes sense that the club consider it.

But, there’s no denying that losing him would be a blow for Schumacher, as he still has a lot to offer in the Championship.

At 29, Laurent is in his peak years, and he knows and understands the demands of football in the second tier.

Furthermore, the fact he was captain demonstrates that Laurent is also a big influence in the dressing room, so it wouldn’t be easy to replace him, even if Schumacher does have some good players in that role.

But, equally so, no one is irreplaceable, and if Laurent is open to a move, as it’s certain to be something that does excite him, then it would be in Stoke’s best interest to let him explore that opportunity.

Stoke City’s summer transfer plans

This is a crucial summer for the Potters, and Schumacher will be looking to make his mark on the squad ahead of his first full season in charge.

As mentioned, work has already started, and it needed to, because the reality is that the club have underachieved consistently since they were relegated from the Premier League, so change will be welcome by the fans.