Bae Junho breaks silence on Stoke City future amid transfer talk
Bae Junho makes admission about Stoke City as he meets up with South Korea’s under-22s on international duty
Bae Junho has admitted this his team of advisers are in contact with other clubs ahead of a potential Stoke City exit this summer.
The 21-year-old playmaker has spoken to the media back home in South Korea, where he has been called up for under-22s duty after missing out on a spot with the senior team, partly due to disappointing form at club level.
He has been open about his own frustrations that Stoke spent another year at the wrong end of the Championship, which in turn has meant he has played under four different managers in the under two years he has been in England.
Junho is under contract for another two seasons and it is not a foregone conclusion that he will leave – indeed, he also spoke about Stoke’s preparations for next term – but it is clear he is open to the possibility and realises the importance, if so, of finding the right place.
“This season, I felt more disappointed than last season, and I felt a variety of emotions,” he said from a training camp in Wonju. “It’s a shame that the team didn’t finish the season on a good note. I think we need to forget about the past and prepare well for next season.
“It is true that my agents are in contact with many teams. All I can do is do my best in any given situation. Rather than wanting to go to a league or club, I want to think about a lot of things, such as how much they want me and what kind of situation they are in.”
It is believed that Junho’s agents made the trip to Clayton Wood in the spring to discuss his future. Stoke are braced for bids but none has been received so far. Stoke are not in a position when they must sell but cash they generate would help Mark Robins and Jon Walters as they look to improve the squad over the next couple of months.
Junho is back with the under-22s – who have just been taken over by his old Daejeon Hana Citizen coach Lee Min-seong – after seven senior caps over the last year. They have two friendlies against Australia, including one behind closed doors, as they start the journey towards the 2026 Asian Cup and 2028 Olympics.
Both competitions are particularly important because, if successful, South Korea players are excused from compulsory national service.
Junho said: “It’s true that I was looking forward to being selected for the national team, but it’s also true that my body wasn’t ready compared to the players who were playing in the season, as national team coach Hong Myung-bo said.
“Now that I’ve been called up to the under-22s national team, I want to focus here.
“All the players who were called up know the importance of the Asian Games. I expect that through the first training and going forward, many players will unite as one through friendly competition and become a much better team.
