With Alex Neil taking charge of his first full summer at Stoke City, the Potters boss is bound to want to put his own stamp on things at the Bet 365 Stadium.
When the club announced their retained list earlier this year, it was clear Stoke were eyeing a reset, with seven senior players released.
Indeed, Sam Clucas, Demeaco Duhaney, Aden Flint, Morgan Fox, Phil Jagielka, Tashan Oakley-Boothe and Nick Powell all left the Club recently, having not been offered new contracts at the Bet 365 Stadium.
As yet, the Potters are yet to make their first signing of the summer, although that could be about to change if the latest Stoke City transfer news emerging proves to be accurate.
What is the latest Stoke City transfer news?
Indeed, that is because there are now reports that Stoke City are set to sign young, highly-rated EFL talent, Junior Tchamadeu.
That is according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, which claims that the Potters are closing in on signing the Colchester United defender.
As the above report explains, the 19-year-old is considered one of the best young talents in the EFL.
The report also explains that Blackburn Rovers have had a long term interest in the defender, and even made a bid for the 19-year-old back in May, with Stoke now moving to beat Rovers to his signature.
Who is Junior Tchamadeu?
As outlined above, Junior Tchamadeu is a 19-year-old defender currently playing for Colchester United in Sky Bet League Two.
The 19-year-old, who plays at right-back, is highly-rated, and is coming off the back of a very strong season in the fourth tier.
Indeed, Tchamadeu was not only named Sky Bet League Two’s young player of the season for 2022/23, he was also named in the divison’s team of the season, too.
Throughout the 2022/23 season, Tchamadeu made 41 League Two appearances, scoring five goals and registering two assists.
In a recent interview with The Athletic, Tchamadeu discussed his progress this past season: “I’ve come a long way in all aspects of my game, things like my positioning and things like that,”
“That showed in my performances throughout the season.
“I don’t think Colchester get the credit they deserve, in terms of that side of the game, developing players; if you see over the last few years the amount of players who have come through and gone on to bigger things, it’s been a huge amount of players.
“That’s one of the best things about the club. The way they develop players is what attracted me, it’s the pathway and knowing that if I did well I could have a chance and I was given that opportunity when I was 16. They put trust in young players. I’m 19 now and I’ve played almost 100 games.”
How long does Junior Tchamadeu have left on his Colchester United contract?
As per Transfer market, Junior Tchamadeu’s contract at Colchester United runs until the summer of 2024.
This means that the defender has now entered the final year of his deal with the club.
This means that Stoke City will have to pay a fee for his signature, although what that fee is remains unclear at this stage.
