Prolific 'handful', goal-scoring winger and other gems for Stoke City to sign from League One and Two
Stoke City are likely to explore all available markets to find players at the best value who can make a difference in the Championship.
Narcis Pelach has a little black book of potential targets in Spain and beyond but there are also gems to be found closer to home in League One and League Two. Stoke have dipped into the lower leagues to sign players such as 20-year-old right-back Junior Tchamadeu in recent years, while Bosun Lawal was scouted while on loan at Fleetwood Town.
Here is a selection of players who have been catching the eye so far this season. Who should Stoke be taking a closer look at? Join the debate here.
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Richard Kone
Club: Wycombe Wanderers
Position: Striker
Football provides many heartwarming stories and Kone’s journey from representing the Ivory Coast at the Homeless World Cup when he was 17 to becoming a top League One striker is most certainly one.
Kone has nine goals in 16 League One matches this term and has caused League One centre-backs all manner of problems in the last few months. Including cup goals, Kone has 12 to his name in all competitions.
Having only turned 21 over the summer, Kone is bound to have suitors higher up the pyramid. The striker’s 6ft 2in frame makes him a handful for defenders.
Connor Barrett
Club: Walsall
Position: Right-back
Walsall have cherry-picked a few players from non-league in the last 18 months and all of them are mainstays in Mat Sadler’s promotion-chasing XI alongside Stoke loanees Tommy Simkin and Nathan Lowe. Right-back Connor Barrett has perhaps impressed most, keeping wingers quiet and chipping in going forwards.
Barrett has five assists to his name in League Two – only one player has more.
“I think they’ve taken a few off me,” says Barrett. “I’m in a good place at the moment, finding my form, long may it continue.”
Hector Kyprianou
Club: Peterborough United
Position: Midfield
Kyprianou has been one of the stand out midfielders in League One, knitting play together nicely and always willing to take the ball under pressure.
Peterborough owner Darragh MacAnthony said: “Hector was spotted by one of my young ‘gem scouts’ who said we had to get him – and fair play to Grant McCann and Cliff Byrne as they were immediately taken by him when they saw videos of him. And Darren Ferguson has taken a raw talent and given him the self-belief that could help take him as far as he wants to go.
“He was a 'blue-eyed boy’ and now he’s a killer. We paid over £400k to sign him and the Orient fans seemed happy we did, but it was a great piece of recruitment. It doesn’t get talked about enough how we are happy to pay clubs from lower divisions a big sum for a young player.”
Kwame Poku
Club: Peterborough United
Position: Right-winger
The most goal contributions in League One as the tricky winger has 10 goals and five assists in his 16 matches.
MacAnthony has warned: it will take "break the bank money" to wrestle him away from London Road. They turned down £3m plus add-ons in the summer.
Kayne Ramsay
Club: Charlton Athletic
Position: Right-back
Narcis Pelach has been using Tchamadeu and Ben Wilmot at right-back while Lawal is another option as he builds up fitness and Lynden Gooch is back after injury.
But Ramsey is thriving under Nathan Jones at Charlton. Ramsay is a very different right-back to Barrett. He has excelled defensively so far this season in League One.
