“If £10m-£12m comes” – Stoke City, Wouter Burger claim issued amid Tottenham transfer interest

Stoke City face a busy summer transfer window ahead after a difficult campaign in the Championship.

Steven Schumacher will be hoping to use the off-season to mould the Potters’ squad more to his liking, having been appointed last December.

This will also be technical director Jon Walters’ first opportunity to play a key role in the club’s recruitment.

The 40-year-old was appointed to the role in February, replacing Ricky Martin after a disastrous term for the club.

Stoke will be aiming to build a team capable of improving on their 17th place finish in the table last season.

FLW’s Stoke fan pundit Liam Birks believes that Wouter Burger is the player most likely to be sold for a big fee this summer, if any do depart to try and balance the books.

He has suggested that an offer in the region of £10 million-£12 million could be enough to persuade the Potters into a sale, amid links with a move to Tottenham Hotspur.

“I think it would be quite easily Wouter Burger [who could command the highest fee this summer],” Birks told Football League World.

“He absolutely carried us, especially through the winter months of this season, he earned the captain’s armband in the process.

“He didn’t win player of the season for Stoke, but he was up there for me.

“He’s already been linked with Spurs for between £10 and £12 million, which I think is fair for one season in the Championship.

“I think if you asked a lot of Stoke fans, they’d want more than that, but he’s by far and clear the best player and probably worth the most money, easily, if he was to be sold this summer.

“Hopefully he doesn’t go, hopefully we get another season out of him, but you never know.

“If £10 to 12 million comes to Stoke’s door, there’s a high chance that they sell him.”

Wouter Burger’s importance to Stoke

Burger signed for Stoke last summer from Swiss giants FC Basel in a deal worth a reported £4.3 million.

The 23-year-old featured 39 times in the Championship, contributing three goals and four assists from 31 starts (all stats from Fbref).

He proved to be a standout player in the side, which otherwise struggled in a relegation battle.

Stoke avoided the drop by six points, and will now be targeting a fight for a top half finish in 2025 instead.

Burger made the switch to English football quite well, and has settled in nicely at Stoke even if the team has otherwise struggled for consistent results.

The midfielder was impressive for the Potters, and supporters will be keen to see him stay at the club beyond just one season.

If they can keep hold of him, and he can keep improving, then his transfer value will only continue to rise.

However, it could prove difficult for the club to turn down any offers in the region of £10 to 12 million, if one arrives this summer – Stoke had a bit of a splurge last summer thanks to the £15 million they received in January 2023 for Harry Souttar’s move to Leicester City, but that isn’t likely to happen again in the coming months unless an asset is cashed in on.

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