Mehdi Leris makes ‘exciting’ statement after Stoke City transfer
Stoke City transfer news from StokeonTrentLive as Mehdi Leris becomes the 13th new arrival to the bet365 Stadium this summer
Mehdi Leris believes he has joined an “exciting project” at Stoke City as he bids to achieve his dream of playing in the Premier League.
Leris has become Stoke’s 13th signing of the summer so far, arriving from Sampdoria for an undisclosed fee, subject to international clearance. The Algeria international has agreed a three-year contract with the Potters and will wear the 27 shirt for Alex Neil’s side.
The 25-year-old wide player was in the stands to see Stoke beat Watford 1-0 at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday – their third successive home win. And he is expected to travel with the squad for the Championship clash at Millwall this weekend.
“When I spoke to the club, I realised that this is an exciting project and a new era for the team, one which I am pleased to be part of,” said Leris. “I wanted to test myself in England because my dream is to play in the Premier League.
“I am versatile and will play wherever the coach requires me to. As a minimum requirement, I will sweat the jersey in every match and give my all for the team.
“I loved the atmosphere on Saturday and look forward to playing in front of the fans. It is a new team but to have won three of the first four matches is really encouraging so I am excited to get started.”
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FLW discusses the futures of two players that could be leaving the Potteries.
Stoke City have been the Championship’s busiest in the transfer window, making 11 signings so far. However, when additions are rife, there have to be some that head for the exit.
City’s fruitful window has given the Potters’ faithful a new sense of optimism; one that has not been this strong since the club were relegated back to the Championship in 2018.
Business has been shrewd, with the perfect balance of youth and experience being acquired on both short-term and long-term contracts.
The pick of the bunch has been Portuguese prodigy Andre Vidigal, who was an unknown entity when he first arrived in Stoke-on-Trent. The winger has acclimatised well, netting four times in as many appearances.
Before any of the new recruits set foot in the building, there was a mass exodus. Phil Jagielka, Aden Flint, Morgan Fox and Nick Powell were amongst those to vacate in July, whilst Jacob Brown and Connor Taylor have sought pastures new since.
However, the departures will most likely not end there, so we have selected two players that could join that list and end their spell at the Bet365 Stadium before the window closes on September 1st..
Lewis Baker
One player that could potentially be heading for the exit is former Chelsea midfielder Lewis Baker.
Baker was hailed as a marquee coup when he arrived from Stamford Bridge in January 2022, and quickly emerged as a fan-favourite amongst City’s supporters.
The 28-year-old became a mainstay in the heart of Michael O’Neill’s midfielder during his first six months at the club. Baker’s long-range efforts became an exciting staple of his game, as he netted four from outside the box within his first four months.
Following a downturn in form towards the end of last season, Baker’s effort was brought into question by fans. He then lost his captaincy over the summer, as Josh Laurent was preferred by Alex Neil.
The Englishman is yet to feature this term due to a knee injury. He is currently recovering from surgery, and will not be available for selection until September, according to StokeonTrent Live.
Furthermore, more midfield additions could be made before he has the chance to return. Stoke are currently chasing Wouter Burger from Basel, Joon-Ho Bae from South Korea, and former Tottenham Hotspur man Josh Onomah, who has been on trial at the club recently.
D’Margio Wright-Phillips
Another who could benefit from a move away is young winger D’Margio Wright-Phillips.
Son of Shaun and grandson of iconic Arsenal goalscorer Ian, D’Margio naturally has big boots to fill. At first, he was one of Stoke’s most exciting prospects, and his break into the first team was one to be admired.
Fantastic performances against the likes of Hull City and Fulham showcased his skills, but the winger’s lack of game time since has hindered his progression.
A loan move to Northampton Town looked to be exactly what the 21-year-old needed, but he struggled for minutes during the Cobblers’ run to promotion.
It is tough to see Wright-Phillips sealing a permanent move away, but a successful loan spell somewhere could potentially reignite his spark, and put him on track to fulfill his significant potential.
