Stoke City transfer latest: Eric Bocat deal, Timothy Fayulu linked, Hibernian star eyed | OneFootball

FLW rounds up all the latest transfer news from the bet365 Stadium

Stoke City face a big summer of clear-outs and wise transfer decisions as they look to finally push on in the Championship.

Steven Schumacher is heading into his first summer as Potters boss and has already decided to dip his toe into the transfer market, with standout goalkeeper Viktor Johansson and experienced centre-back Ben Gibson arriving from Rotherham United and Norwich City respectively.

The Potters released their full retained list on May 21, with Tyrese Campbell, Ciaran Clark, Wesley, Tom Edwards, Tom Sparrow and D’Margio Wright-Phillips all departing upon the expiry of their contracts.

There have been changes off the pitch too, with Lee Darnbrough appointed as the club's new head of recruitment after departing an equivalent role at Hull City following seven years with the Tigers.

Schumacher should be happy with the blend of youth and experience in his squad, but there will still be plenty of incomings and outgoings on their radar this summer, and with that in mind, Football League World outlines the latest transfer news coming out of the Potteries.

Eric Junior Bocat is set to join Stoke

The Potters are reportedly closing in on a move for Sint-Truiden defender Eric Junior Bocat, according to TeamTalk and StokeOnTrentLive.

The Frenchman was with Lille and Mouscron before he joined STVV in 2022, and was previously a reported target for Leicester City this summer, but now looks set to seal a move to Stoke.

TeamTalk have stated that the 24-year-old is in talks to join the Potters and has been at the club’s training ground this week to finalise a move.

Bocat is a left-wing-back by trade, but would likely be deployed as a left-back in Schumacher's system to provide competition for 33-year-old Enda Stevens, who recently signed a one-year contract extension following an injury-hit 2023/24 season.

His imminent signature could solve a lot of defensive issues for Stoke, while also likely ending their reported interest in out-of-contract Norwich man Sam McCallum.

Shock link to FC Sion goalkeeper emerges

Stoke have been credited with an unlikely interest in FC Sion 'keeper Timothy Fayulu by Swiss outlet K Media.

Their report states that the two clubs are in advanced contact, with Stoke ready to make an offer between 1.5m and 2.5m to the two-time Swiss champions, while German club VFL Bochum are also interested.

Fayulu has just completed a stellar 2023/24 season with Sion in the Swiss second-tier - he conceded 23 goals and kept 19 clean sheets in 36 games as they finished top of the Challenge League and secured promotion to the top-flight, and even earned a call-up to the DR Congo national team for his strong performances.

The 24-year-old is clearly a highly-rated shot stopper, but interest from the Potters seems misplaced as their goalkeeping ranks are probably the strongest they have been in a long time, and the reported fee is more than what was paid for anticipated first-choice Viktor Johansson in May.

Johansson has not long arrived in the Potteries, while steady back-up Jack Bonham, veteran Frank Fielding and highly-rated youngsters Tommy Simkin and Scott Morris make it the single position with the most depth in Schumacher's squad.

That makes an imminent arrival for Fayulu unlikely, but not impossible later on in the summer if there are some 'keeper outgoings in the coming months.

Bushiri of interest to Stoke

Stoke have been tentatively linked with interest in Hibernian centre-back Rocky Bushiri by TeamTalk journalist Fraser Gillan.

Gillan has reported that the 24-year-old is 'on the radar' of the Potters, as Schumacher seeks to bolster his centre-back options ahead of the new season.

Bushiri is no stranger to English football, having previously been contracted to Norwich City - he did not make a single first-team appearance for the Canaries from 2019 to 2022 though, and was instead loaned out to Blackpool, Sint-Truiden, Mechelen, Eupen and then Hibernian.

He joined Hibs on a permanent deal in 2022 and has since made 55 appearances under bosses Lee Johnson, David Gray and Lee Montgomery.

Schumacher has already signed a centre-back this summer in Ben Gibson, but will likely look to bolster his defensive ranks even further to provide competition for both Ben Wilmot and Michael Rose, so Bushiri could be one to keep an eye on this summer.