Stoke City eyeing January transfer move for Wolves man | OneFootball

Stoke City will try again in January to sign a former loanee from Wolves.

Stoke City are targeting a potential January swoop for Wolverhampton Wanderers' Luke Cundle.

This is according to transfer guru, Alan Nixon, who links the 22-year-old midfielder to a return to the Staffordshire-based club, for whom he made 16 appearances last term.

Having reportedly come close to securing a loan move back to the Bet365 Stadium on deadline day, it’s no surprise to Potters fans that the club is once again attempting to sign him.

After spending the entire summer exploring ways to bring Cundle in on a permanent deal, Stoke seemingly had no choice but to reluctantly pursue a loan move.

A fresh approach in January could prove decisive, and whether on a temporary basis or not, Cundle would be a valuable addition to a blossoming squad.

Luke Cundle to Stoke City latest

As stated above, Steven Schumacher's side are continuing to take an interest in Cundle despite the hit back suffered in the previous window.

While the reason for his move falling through remains unclear, the late timing in the transfer window likely hindered negotiations by limiting the time for talks between both clubs.

However, this time they will have ample opportunity to sort out a deal between now and January, with the transfer able to sit on hold until the window opens.

Whether this is a permanent or loan move remains unclear, but given their previous interest in securing his services full-time, you can imagine it will be the former.

With just under two years remaining on his contract, a deal for Stoke won’t come cheap. However, the deadline day departure of Josh Laurent may push them to force this transfer over the line.

For Cundle, at 22-years-old, he will be desperate to be a first-team footballer and if that opportunity isn't provided at Molineux then he must search for a move elswehere.

Luke Cundle can build on a strong 2023-24

Having had three separate loan spells in the Championship across the last two seasons, Cundle seemed ready to take the second tier by storm if he had secured his summer move to Stoke.

Unfortunately, with that deal falling through, he will remain on the sidelines at Wolves until January. However, when the new year comes, a swift move to join Schumacher's side will surely be on his mind.

If he does join up with the Potters, then he will look to continue where he left off last season. In 40 games for Stoke and Plymouth Argyle, Cundle managed five goals and seven assists, which is particularly impressive given where both clubs finished in the table.

Beyond that, he demonstrated a strong willingness to create opportunities, averaging 1.79 chances created per 90 minutes. Additionally, he proved his ability to lead a press from midfield, recovering possession in the final third an average of 0.73 times per game, placing him in the top 13% of all midfielders according to FotMob.

This provides a strong foundation to build on, and he’ll be aware that replicating this form will be expected if he signs. However, he faces a four-month period where opportunities may be scarce, so he must stay sharp and be ready for a potential move to the Bet365 Stadium.