Difficult for Stoke to push on next season
Stoke City have launched a £20million bid for West Brom striker Saido Berahino, according to Sky Sports. The news comes after Potters Mark Hughes has admitted that his club have seen a number of bids rejected by the Baggies.
Stoke finished ninth in the table last season, which came after the Potters looked like they could threaten a top six finish for a while. The Staffordshire club have been relatively ambitious in the past few summers.
Mark Hughes’ team will be looking to push on next season. However, it will be difficult for the Potters to progress with so many clubs attempting to finish in the Premier League top-six. Hughes now has a talented squad at his disposal.
Stoke are a well-run club and they will now have extra revenue from the new lucrative television deal. However, so will all of their rivals. Ninth-place finishes in the last two seasons will be difficult to beat, as they are a relatively small club.
The Potters signing a player of the calibre of Berahino will no doubt improve their team. It appears a deal is far from completed and the Potters may have rivals for the striker’s signature. Crystal Palace has also been mooted as a possible destination for the forward.
Hughes has a major job on his hands to help the club from the Potteries to a higher league finish this season.
A number of clubs in around Stoke last season have strengthened their squad. Stoke’s progress next season will depend on the quality of player that the Potters can sign this summer, but it looks highly unlikely that the Potters can improve on those ninth place finishes.
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