Last season: Stoke finished just six points above the relegation zone, after a Premier League season that yielded 9 wins in total, as well as 15 draws and 14 losses.

Tony Pulis’s squad managed to collect 42 points and finish on 13th place just one point behind Fulham. The Potters scored a measly total of 34 goals, something Mark Hughes will be looking to improve on this current season as well as a shocking away record that meant the Potters home form at the Britannia once again kept them up in the Premier League.

Transfer Ins:

Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution)

Marc Muniesa (Barcelona B)

Erik Pieters (PSV Eindhoven)

Transfer Outs:

Stefan Galinski (Boston United)

Rory Delap (Burton Albion)

Carlo Nash (Norwich City)

Matthey Upson (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Dean Whitehead (Middlesborough)

Mamady Sidibe

Matthey Lund (Rochdale AFC)

Michael Owen (Retired)

Player to watch: 

Asmir Begovic impressed a lot last season, where he was arguably considered the best goalkeeper in the Premier League. Despite the arrival of Jack Butland, the Bosnian will remain as the Potters’ no.1 under Mark Hughes and you do sense that the keeper could hold the key to Stoke City’s chances this season given the lack of fire-power upfront.

Young player to watch:

Steven N’Zonzi made his debut with Stoke against Manchester City in the 1-1 home draw, winning the man of the match and hasn’t looked back since. The 24-year-old made 35 appearances in total with the Potters but managed to score only one goal. The former France U21 midfielder handed in a transfer request to Stoke not too long ago but management rejected it, therefore he will keep playing for them in the next season and hopefully he will not be having any further trouble with the club.

Prediction: Stoke City barely managed to remain in the Premier League last season and don’t seem to have made significant changes during this transfer period to suggest things will drastically improve. Competition around is getting stronger by the day, therefore it might be possible that Stoke may not make another season in the Premier League once it is over.

My prediction for Stoke: 18th place.

First match: VS Liverpool (Away)

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