Stoke City: Jon Walters speaks out as Lynden Gooch among 4 Potters players to depart | OneFootball

A quartet of Potters players will be exiting the club this summer as Mark Robins looks to rebuild

Stoke City have provided an end-of-season contracts update, confirming that they have extended the contracts of three players, made an offer to one, and will be releasing four, including experienced American Lynden Gooch.

This comes at the end of a season during which they've had four managers across the campaign, starting with Steven Schumacher and ending with Mark Robins, and the end result was an 18th-placed finish in the Championship, just two points above the relegation zone.

Stoke are still yet to finish inside the top half of the Championship since their return in 2018, and the need for a refresh is even more evident, with the release of four senior players being the start of that process.

Stoke City sporting director Jon Walters speaks out as quartet depart bet365 Stadium

Stoke's official club statement confirmed that Lewis Baker, Jack Bonham and Frank Fielding have all signed extensions to their contracts, while Emre Tezgel, who became Stoke's youngest ever player when he made his debut for them at 16 years of age in January 2020, has been offered a new contract.

The four players who are being released however are long-serving midfielder Jordan Thompson, as well as Enda Stevens, Lynden Gooch and Michael Rose.

Thompson was singled out for praise by sporting director Jonathan Walters, after spending the last five-and-a-half years at the bet365 Stadium.

“In Jordan’s case, we express our appreciation to a player who, beyond question, gave 100% on each of the 178 times he donned a Stoke City shirt," Walters said.

“He leaves having made a significant and valued contribution and with the very best wishes of all associated with the Club to him and his family."

A message was also sent to the remaining three players that exited, with Walters adding: “Our thanks and best wishes also go to Lynden, Michael and Enda, each of whom carried themselves with the utmost professionalism throughout their time as Stoke City players."

Thompson joined the club from Blackpool in 2020 and has been Stoke's longest-serving player, and despite starting plenty of times during the second half of the season under Robins, the Northern Ireland international will wave goodbye to the Potters.

Gooch, Stevens and Rose meanwhile will also wave goodbye, having all joined two years ago. With 60 appearances in the Championship last season combined, the trio provided experience, but they will be replaced next season by fresh faces.

Stoke City rebuild is needed this summer and Mark Robins has to make brutal decisions

It was a turbulent season for Stoke. Not only was 18th their lowest final league position since they were relegated from the Premier League in 2018, but the 51 points they managed was the lowest in the same time period, while the 45 goals they scored in 46 League matches was the joint-second lowest in the division.

Things were little rosier off the pitch. Steven Schumacher had only arrived from Plymouth Argyle towards the end of 2023, but he was sacked in September to be replaced by Narcis Pelach, but he was also sacked in December, with Mark Robins taking over on New Year's Day. They ended the season only narrowly escaping a drop into League One.

This has all been going on for a long time.Stokehave stagnated since dropping out of the top flight, having now failed to finish higher than 14th since then.Furthermore, in recent years the team's performance has, if anything, deteriorated still further. Initially, after relegation, Stoke were a mid-table club, but over the last three years they've been drifting slowly but apparently inexorably towards relegation fights.

Mark Robins seemed acutely aware of this when interviewed for the club website after their goalless draw at Derby on Saturday, saying that he is ready to "ready to rebuild and look upwards".

Deciding to offload four players with 11-and-a-half years of combined experience for Stoke City alone may be a sign of how seriously it's being taken - no doubt it was tough for the veteran boss to do, but it's necessary for the future of the club.