Stoke are expected to make use of the loan market this summer with the shackles of FFP suffocating the Coates’ ability to back the manager financially, as a result of this the Potters are going to need shrewd loan signings and free agents in order to make further progression from mid table mediocrity to Championship play off contenders. So the question I’m going to attempt to answer today is, who are some of the better loan players the red and white outfit should be hunting down?

Trevoh Chalobah

• Current Club: Chelsea

• Position: Central Midfielder

• Age: 21

• Height: 6ft 2in

• Nationality: English - Sierra Leonean (Dual Nationality)

First on the list, a lanky giant in midfield, Trevoh Chalobah has spent the last year out on loan in France with FC Lorient in Ligue 1 and has had a successful spell out in the country of the current world champions but more importantly, he could be the answer to improving Stoke’s aging midfield.

Chalobah has been stuck in Chelsea’s cruel loan system for a few years now and will likely be available on loan once again this summer, with there being little to no hope of the gigantic midfielder breaking into a midfield containing Ballon’dor contender and football nice guy N’golo Kante, Croatian international Kovacic and England star Mason Mount.

Boasting a 63% tackle success rate for the recent season, Trevoh Chalobah’s defensive side of the game is clearly a strong point for himself, with his large frame helping him stretch to win the ball in the middle of the park and potentially start counter attacks. Looking at Chalobah’s general play, his passing is possibly the strongest point of his game, containing a good range of passing in his right foot, presenting a pass success rate of 85% with a total of 1204 passes attempted, meaning he has completed 1023 of those passes played. 2 assists have come from these passes.

As an added bonus, Chalobah has Championship experience and pedigree, having previously impressed at this level with Ipswich and Huddersfield Town, making 79 Championship appearances despite his young age.

Jack Clarke

• Current Club: Tottenham Hotspur

• Position: Winger

• Age: 20

• Height: 5ft 9in

• Nationality: English

The first of two players on this list that have already had loan spells under Michael O’Neill, Jack Clarke impressed on a consistent basis during a successful loan spell on Stanley Matthews Way and O’Neill was certainly a fan. Unfortunately, the Spurs youngster’s loan was cut short early after he picked up an injury in training.

A clever winger rather than a fast one, Clarke often glides past his man rather than looking to charge past them with blistering pace. It was clear that we never really saw the very best of Clarke as he failed to score a single goal for Michael O’Neill’s men although Clarke did manage to pick up 2 assists in a Stoke City side that struggled for goals.

Clarke has proven both at Stoke and Leeds that he is (and can be) a top-end Championship winger when at full-confidence and in my opinion his flair and finesse while on the ball is already more than enough for Stoke to at the very least consider another loan.

Rabbi Matondo

• Current Club: Schalke 04

• Position: Winger

• Age: 20

• Height: 5ft 7in

• Nationality: Welsh

As the whispers surrounding Rabbi Matondo’s sensational return to the Bet365 grow, I cannot see any reason why Matondo should not be on the first plane back from Germany to re-join the Mighty Potters.

Plenty of debate surrounded Matondo during his time at the Potters, with many claiming he was not good enough during his short stint in Staffordshire. However, that opinion very quickly changed amongst Stoke fans when Matondo struck one past Nottingham Forest away and delivered a man of the match performance in every game he played after that. Matondo was given further leeway by fans as he had been carrying an injury early into his move and is a likeable character off the pitch, O’Neill has previously spoken of Rabbi’s positive influence on the squad during his time at the club and never ruled out a return. Could the Welsh wizard return and help fire Stoke into the Premier League?

Morgan Rodgers

• Current Club: Manchester City

• Position: Winger

• Age: 18

• Height: 6ft

• Nationality: English

The youngest player on this list at 18 years of age, Manchester City youngster Morgan Rodgers will be coming into the new season following a very successful debut season on loan at Lincoln City, the club that took Joe Bursik on an emergency loan not too long ago.

Rodgers dynamic style of play has earnt him plenty plaudits, able to switch the ball from one foot to another to beat his man and create chances for either himself or his team, this is proven through his numbers from the season that has just past as he scored 6 goals, picked up 4 assists and nearly helped Lincoln City to promotion via the play-offs, where they fell at the last hurdle.

Rodger’s pace could provide Stoke with a real attacking threat, something they lacked after the injury of young starlet Tyrese Campbell back in December. In fact, pace is something that has illuded Stoke as a footballing side until very recently and now it could well be arriving like London buses, especially if the Potters look to receive the services of Morgan Rodgers!

Taiwo Awoniyi

• Current Club: Liverpool

• Position: Striker

• Age: 23

• Height: 6ft

• Nationality: Nigerian

Last but certainly not least, The Potters were desperately short in the striking department last season and the situation only worsened when the Star-man, Tyrese Campbell, limped off against Cardiff in December. The Potters only managed 27 goals in the 31 games that remained after the lightning-quick wingers forced absence.

With that in mind, it’s inevitable that the Stoke City transfer team will be hard at work, attempting to find that clinical goal scorer that has evaded them for years on end. Awoniyi could bring just that, having only just acquired his work permit, the Nigerian will be keen to make up for lost time in England. He’s big, athletic, quick, and clever, all attributes that you would want from a striker meaning that he will certainly be a high-end loan in the Championship.

His goal record isn’t too shabby either, with Awoniyi scoring 6 and providing 3 assists in 22 Bundesliga and DFB Pokal games, despite only breaking into the Union Berlin side after the injury of The Iron Ones star man, Max Kruse.

Its unsurprising that O’Neill is reportedly a fan, with Awoniyi being in the right age bracket that the Northern Irishman has previously expressed desire to have more of.

It could be interesting to see if John Obi-Mikel plays any role in getting his fellow Nigerian to join The Potters as we know from an interview from the Athletic with O’Neill last year, the boss does like to use players such as Chester to get into contact with potential transfer targets.

Could the Nigerian star be the answer to Stoke’s striking woes?