Wednesday 13 July 2016 14:07, UK
We take a look at the ways in which Stoke need to strengthen in the summer transfer window.
What are the key areas for improvement? Who could fill the gaps?
We examine the situation with the help of manager quotes and expert pundit views...
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Peter Odemwingie (released), Steve Sidwell (Brighton, free)
With a well publicised remit to develop the Potters into a more creative force, manager Mark Hughes has brought a number of exciting players to the Britannia Stadium since he took charge in 2013. But while the football has improved, last season yielded some obvious areas of improvement.
An injury to Jack Butland saw Stoke struggle at the back, winning just one of their final seven games of the season and conceding 18 goals in the process. A new goalkeeper to provide competition for the England international would therefore seem a shrewd move.
A new out-and-out striker is also a priority after Marko Arnautovic finished last season as their top scorer with just 11 goals. Their next highest scorer was Bojan Krcic, with seven. A more prolific frontman would help the Potters climb up the table next season.
Stoke have started slowly in the transfer window, but Sky sources say they are close to making highly-rated Egypt winger Ramadan Sobhi their first signing of the summer. The Potter were interested in signing former Manchester United winger Nani before he agreed to join Valencia, and they have also been linked with West Brom attacker Saido Berahino.
Hughes has urged fans to be patient after Stoke's quiet start to the summer, saying: "There's a lot of players we are talking about and are just trying to get a few over the line. The idea is you do your business, you know exactly where you're going and everybody's in the building for the first day of pre-season.
"But it doesn't happen, it never happens. There's not one club in the Premier League, or any league, that can say we've done all our business on the first day of pre-season, so we are in the same boat as everybody else.
"It's very easy to buy players that nobody wants - we're trying to buy players that other people want as well and that makes it more difficult to get them over the line."
"They were a little bit frustrated last season and their home form was one thing they weren't happy with so maybe getting a centre-forward, that's what they need.
"They haven't really got a prolific centre-forward because they've got players like Marko Arnautovic, Xherdan Shaqiri and Bojan that will create those opportunities. It's just having an out and out goalscorer in the middle and if they can do that, then the home form will pick up and they will have a better season themselves."
