With the transfer window set to officially open within the next week, Michael O’Neill will be looking to bring some fresh faces to the Potteries this summer in a bid to take Stoke back to the heights of the Premier League. In an in-depth interview with The Sentinel, O’Neill discussed his use of the loan market and said; “The loan market is very difficult to gauge because we won’t be in at the top loans. Our loans are typically younger and they’re young players with a lot of potential and you do not really know how they’ll do.” The Potters will clearly rely on the loan market to bring in a better quality of players to the Bet365 Stadium before the window slams shut and here are seven that the Northern Irish manager may look to bring in over the next month.

Brooke Norton-Cuffy – Age: 18 – Club: Arsenal – Position: Right-Back

The key to success in the Championship in recent years has proven to be recruiting athletic players in positions that require a lot of physical output. A great example of this is Nottingham Forest loanee Djed Spence, who played a large role in The Reds promotion back to the topflight following a 23-year absence from the Premier League. If Stoke are to look for a similar style of player, they should look no further than Brooke Norton-Cuffy, who spent last season on loan with League One strugglers Lincoln City.

Quick, Powerful and good on the ball, Norton-Cuffy is coming off a positive season individually, despite his temporary team’s poor season, and will likely find himself starting for a Championship club on loan from Arsenal next season, could that club be based along Stanley Matthews Way?

Roméo Lavia – Age: 18 – Club: Manchester City – Position: Holding Midfielder

Continuing with the theme of athletic players, Manchester City starlet Roméo Lavia could prove to be the answer to bringing balance to the Stoke City midfield. The tenacious ball-winning midfielder could provide protection to a backline that desperately needed that extra man back at times last season.

Naturally impressive on the ball due to his upbringing in The Citizens academy, Lavia is extremely difficult to take the ball away from as his determination, ability in possession and strength allow him to squeeze out of tricky situations that may arise during games. The Belgium U-21 international could form a dominant midfield partnership with popular January signing Lewis Baker, providing cover to the former Chelsea man when he advances forward to support attacks.

Lavia’s young age could be a concern for some, but I believe in the old saying of ‘if you’re old enough, you’re good enough’.

Dylan Levitt – Age: 21 – Club: Manchester United – Position: Central Midfielder

Stoke City’s midfield has needed to be rebuilt for a long while now and even if club captain Joe Allen is to stay, albeit on reduced terms and likely a short-term contract, the Staffordshire-based side still need to make room for a different style of midfielder, such as Allen’s Wales teammate Dylan Levitt.

A livewire in midfield, Levitt’s full season heatmap (Courtesy of SofaScore) presents a clearer picture of just how much ground the Manchester United man can cover:

Levitt is not what some fans may call a ‘Headless Chicken’ though and he has the stats to prove that the effort he puts in is not in vain, with the Welshman winning 2.8 duels per game on average, recording 59.2 touches during the average game and even scoring 5 goals from deep in midfield for Dundee United last season.

The Wales international has been immensely popular at Tannadice Park in the season that has just passed and has earnt a one-year extension to his contract at parent club Manchester United, meaning that he will likely be loaned out by The Red Devils once again this summer.

Jaden Philogene-Bidace – Age: 20 – Club: Aston Villa – Position: Winger

A name that Stoke fans will be familiar with, Jaden Philogene-Bidace impressed almost every time he stepped onto a pitch for The Potters last season, and he certainly made games more entertaining with the bag of tricks he possesses.

Unfortunately, Philogene-Bidace did not feature nearly as much as he should’ve during his loan spell in The Potteries after suffering a knee injury in March, only just over a month after joining the club and impressing in his opening few games.

It has already been reported that O’Neill would be keen to bring the Aston Villa youngster back for next season and with Villa manager Steven Gerrard thanking the Northern Irishman for Philogene-Bidace’s development as a player, the deal could be a very possible one for Stoke this summer.

Tahith Chong – Age: 22 – Club: Manchester United – Position: Winger

Another exciting attacker who had his season derailed by injuries last term, Manchester United youngster Tahith Chong suffered heavily with a ruptured thigh tendon, which required surgery and would only go on to play seven games more for loan club Birmingham City in the 2021/22 season.

Despite these setbacks, the Dutchman is still a very exciting prospect who, if he can be fit, will be a great acquisition for any Championship club that picks Chong up.

The former Werder Bremen loanee is an impressive dribbler, drawing an average of 2.2 fouls per game and as a result, creating more chances to score from set-pieces.

His high-level of technical ability mixed with his blistering pace is a dangerous prospect for any defenders he comes up against and if Chong was to form an understanding with the likes of Nick Powell, Tyrese Campbell and Jacob Brown, Stoke could be hitting teams for six every week.

Cameron Archer – Age: 20 – Club: Aston Villa – Position: Striker

An obvious pick for this list when you consider the impact, he had at Preston in the six months he was at the club, Cameron Archer will likely play a big role in a promotion season for a Championship club next season, Stoke must make sure that they jump to the front of the queue and hope that their work with Philogene-Bidace gives them an advantage if the Birmingham-born striker becomes available once again.

Archer’s stats from last season speak for themselves as the five-foot-seven forward scored 20 goals and recorded five assists in 33 games last season, with seven of the ex-Solihill Moors striker’s goals coming in the Championship with The Lilywhites.

Archer is the perfect modern-day poacher, proven by the fact that all seven of the Villa forwards goals came from inside the box showing his clinical edge in front of goal, a trait Stoke have missed up front in recent years.