Eight players who regret leaving Stoke City after key transfer decisions
The grass isn’t always greener on the other side as StokeonTrentLive looks back at players who will be kicking themselves for leaving Stoke City
There isn’t a very long list of players who have done well at Stoke City and hit a brick wall after deciding the future was brighter away from the Potteries.
For starters, when Stoke were flying in the Premier League, one of their key strengths was being backed to hold onto their star men. So Ryan Shawcross spent his career at the club, Jon Walters and Glenn Whelan stayed put for
most of theirs. Steven Nzonzi did leave but, with a Europa League title, France call-up and World Cup winner’s medal around his neck, it might be a push to think he looks back and kicks himself for heading to Seville. Marko Arnautovic probably didn’t have many sleepless nights as his bank balance shot up and Stoke went down in his absence. Robert Huth didn’t want to go and then went and won the Premier League.
But exits haven’t always gone as hoped for players who had shown potential to be a favourite in red and white. We’ve gone back through the archives to pick out eight what-might-have-beens. Any other suggestions to add to this catalogue? Join the debate in the comments section.
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Dujon Sterling
Dujon Sterling was one of the first names on Alex Neil’s teamsheet last season, when fit, on loan from Chelsea and showed strength, pace and discipline at either right or left-back. That made him one of the top targets for Neil in the summer as his contract ran out at Stamford Bridge. Instead, the defender, who turned 24 in October, hot footed it as a free agent to Glasgow to sign a long-term deal with Rangers. “European football was a no-brainer for me,” he said. “You can’t pass that up. Even though I loved Stoke, I would have gone back, if you get the chance to play European football so early in your career you have to take it.”
But a few months on, Sterling only has a couple of sub appearances under his belt in both Europa League and Champions League and only three starts in the Scottish Premiership. He is now being utilised as an emergency midfielder by new boss Philippe Clement and there is hope that his status looks brighter going forwards.
