Stoke City’s Bae Jun-ho is keen on joining Feyenoord, with the Dutch giants expected to make a formal move to sign the midfielder in the current transfer window.
Reports from the Netherlands have revealed that Bae is a transfer target for the Rotterdam outfit, who are in the market for midfield reinforcements after seeing Mats Wieffer join Brighton and Yankuba Minteh leave after a successful loan spell.
And, the same update from 1908.nl that has shared Feyenoord’s interest, has also claimed that Bae would be keen on making the move, despite only having spent one year with the Potters.
Feyenoord’s interest in Bae Jun-ho is understandable
It was another hugely disappointing campaign for Stoke, as they once again battled relegation, before a late flurry of wins ensured they moved clear of the bottom three.
Championship standings 2023/24
Even though there were few positives on the whole, there’s no doubting the emergence of Bae was a real high point, as he managed two goals and five assists in the Championship.
The 20-year-old joined the club from South Korean side Daejeon, and he went on to handle the step-up well, showing both his quality on the ball and his football intelligence.
Of course, there are areas of his game that need to improve, but he is a player with huge potential, and Bae’s form saw him rewarded with an international debut for South Korea earlier this year, where he got his first goal as well.
Bae Jun-ho
So, his career is on an upward trajectory, and everyone connected to Stoke will know that he has the ability to play at a high level in the years to come.
From the perspective of the player, you can see why Bae would be keen to move to Feyenoord, as they will be playing in the Champions League next season, and they’re a huge club that has proven to be a good platform for individuals to kick-on in their careers.
Stoke City will battle to keep Bae Jun-ho
Following on from that, Stoke would not want to cash in on Bae, and the fact he is under contract until the summer of 2027 means they won’t be under pressure to sell.
Yet, the dynamic could change if the report is right, with Bae seemingly wanting to leave in order to pursue this opportunity that Feyenoord could offer.
In that case, the Potters wouldn’t want to keep an unhappy player. Plus, financially, it could make sense for the club to sell if a big bid comes in, as it would give Steven Schumacher the funds he needs to rebuild in the way he wants.
Steven Schumacher for Stoke City
As mentioned, Feyenoord should be in a position to spend following Wieffer’s exit, whilst Liverpool also paid to bring new boss Arne Slot to Anfield. So, Stoke certainly have a strong negotiation point, and any exit will need to be on their terms.
Stoke City’s summer transfer plans
It was always going to be a hectic summer for Stoke as they gear up for Schumacher’s first season in charge of the club.
We know the owners will back the manager where possible, but there are financial rules in place, so there’s a lot to juggle at the Bet365 Stadium this summer.
