Cannon recalled: Stoke City's best and worst case transfer scenarios in January | OneFootball

FLW have outlined some things that the Potters will, and won't, want to happen in the new year

Stoke City look set to be embroiled in another struggle at the wrong end of the table this season, yet the January window will give recently-appointed head-coach Narcis Pelach his first chance to change his squad as he aims to bring eventual success to the Potteries.

Pelach was not involved in any of the club's transfers over the summer, as he was only given the job as head-coach in September after Steven Schumacher was relieved of his duties just five games into the campaign.

As a result, the Spaniard will likely want to change up his squad with a good few incomings and some outgoings in the new year, as well as retain some of his key men, which will be easier, or tougher, dependent on the Potters' league position and form at the time.

Stoke will definitely be active in the transfer market as they look to pull away from the lower end of the table, and with that in mind, Football League World have outlined two ideal and two not-so ideal scenarios that they could encounter in the new year.

Tom Cannon is recalled by Leicester City

Summer loan signing Tom Cannon has not had the desired effect in front of goal for Stoke so far this term, yet the club cannot afford to lose him in the midst of a striker crisis in Pelach's squad.

The Potters beat off some very strong competition to secure the Leicester City frontman on loan in the last week of the summer window, and he endured a slow start to life in the Potteries, yet looked to be on the right track under his new boss with a four-goal haul against Portsmouth in early October to open his account in red and white with aplomb.

He has not impressed consistently since, yet has shown great signs of his ability in short bursts, but recent developments revealed that he has a recall clause in his loan deal that the Foxes could potentially trigger in January to sell him on for a sizeable fee and leave the Potters short-changed.

Stoke's striker situation means that they cannot afford to let that happen, with Sam Gallagher's potentially long-term injury meaning they are in need of attacking additions to join Cannon in attack, not instead of him.

Gallagher has impressed when he has played, but can not be relied on, and neither Niall Ennis nor Emre Tezgel have proven goal records at second-tier level, so it is pretty imperative that the Potters do not lose their one other striker that boasts some decent Championship credentials.

Ali Al-Hamadi joins

Striker Ali Al-Hamadi has enjoyed a stunning rise to the top in recent years, and currently plies his trade with Ipswich Town in the Premier League after he joined from fourth-tier AFC Wimbledon in the January window and helped Kieran McKenna's side achieve a historic promotion from the second-tier in May.

The Iraqi international mostly featured off the bench in the second-half of last season, and while he did bag some important goals for the Tractor Boys in key games, it seemed likely that they were set to allow him to leave in the summer window.

They reportedly received loan enquiries from numerous Championship clubs for the 22-year-old, but he surprisingly stayed at Portman Road, and he has found opportunities at a premium in the top-flight, so is surely set to leave on loan when possible.

Stoke should be one of the clubs interested, as the 22-year-old would be an ideal signing to add to their depth up front, and especially if the worst happens and Leicester do recall Cannon, but ideally he would be an addition to compete with him for places in attack.

Al-Hamadi has not spent long in the Championship as yet in his career, but he displayed some clear quality and clinical striking ability last season that could massively benefit the Potters' chances of pushing up the table in the second half of the campaign.

Million Manhoef departs

Million Manhoef has been one of Stoke's key players since his January arrival from Eredivisie outfit Vitesse, and it is imperative that they keep him in January and fend off any likely transfer interest from other clubs.

Manhoef quickly became one of the Potters', and the Championship's, most exciting wingers in 2023/24 as he registered four goals and an assist in 14 games and played a key role in their eventually successful bid to avoid relegation to League One, and his good performances have continued this term after he attracted transfer interest throughout the summer.

Stoke were not set to let him depart easily, though, and reports stated that the Potters wanted upwards of £10m for his services amid apparent interest from Leeds United, so his form from the start of this campaign could well mean more interest is likely.

Pelach will hope that Stoke do not cave to any interest, which is unlikely given the potential price tag and his importance to the team, but is impossible to rule out, especially if he continues to shine up to the turn of the year.

James Bree joins

Right-back has not been a position of trouble for Stoke over the last few seasons due to loanee Ki-Jana Hoever's impressive exploits, but they have left themselves short at the back this season after a summer without a new addition to that position.

20-year-old Junior Tchamadeu has been left as Pelach's first-choice at right-back so far, as a result, with Lynden Gooch as a back-up, but currently injured, and youngster Jaden Dixon who can also step into that role, but is unlikely to be trusted at just 17-years-old.

Tchamadeu did start the season relatively well under Schumacher, but his form is bound to go through peaks and troughs given his experience, and so centre-back Ben Wilmot has recently been deployed there by the Spainard, and has looked relatively solid.

With that said, it would make a lot of sense to secure a deal for Southampton man James Bree, as he is out of favour in the top-flight and is unlikely to become a regular in Russell Martin's side on the right of defence anytime soon.

Bree joined the Saints from Luton Town in January 2023 after making over 140 appearances for the Hatters in three-and-a-half years but has not nailed down a starting spot in either the Premier League or Championship at St Mary's, so they will surely see fit to let him leave on loan after the turn of the year.

The 26-year-old would be a very decent option to have in the second-tier, given his experience and clear quality, and would definitely come in as the Potters' new first-choice right-back for the second-half of the season if he did sign.