The Championship season has started unevenly for Stoke City, and manager Narcis Pelach will be keeping an eye on both possible additions and departures in the next year as the January transfer market draws near.

With significant victories against Portsmouth, Derby County, and Blackburn Rovers, the Potters appear to have finally settled into the season after a tumultuous few months.

Although Pelach was not involved in any of the club’s summer transfer activities because he was only hired as head coach in mid-September, he has performed admirably thus far with the team that Steven Schumacher left him.

Because he has to work with players he hasn’t chosen to play for him, the Spaniard will probably want to direct the team as he sees fit when the chance presents itself. In the process, he may decide to let go of some fringe players in the upcoming season to make room in the squad for new players.

Football League World has selected three players who are most likely to depart the bet365 Stadium in January. The Potters now have a rather weak team, but they will undoubtedly let some players to pursue new opportunities.

Jaden Dixon

In the past 12 months, young centre-back Jaden Dixon has quickly established himself as a mainstay in Stoke’s senior squad. However, under Pelach, his lack of experience may work against him in the near future, and as a result, he might be permitted to go on loan in the new year.

After joining the team from Tottenham Hotspur’s academy, the 17-year-old started training with the first team at the beginning of the season. He subsequently made his first appearance on the senior bench at Leicester City in October of last year.

Since Pelach’s appointment, more dependable senior players have been chosen over him, despite the fact that he has gone above and above this season to make his four professional appearances in the EFL Cup and occasionally come off the bench in the Championship.

Dixon is a centre-back by trade and would undoubtedly prefer regular minutes in that position at the senior level to continue his development rather than slow it down by remaining in the under-21 squad and on the first team bench for the remainder of the season. However, Dixon has been filling in at right-back for the first team since making his debut.

Given that Stoke will undoubtedly want for defensive reinforcements in the upcoming season, it is likely that he will make his first loan departure in January, even at such a young age, most likely to a League Two team in need of defensive reinforcements.

Niall Ennis

Striker Niall Ennis will begin his first season at Stoke during the January transfer window. He hasn’t shown much in red and white thus far, therefore he might be let go as the Potters try to strengthen their front line with new players.

After struggling to establish himself at Blackburn Rovers after moving to Ewood Park in the summer of 2023, and after shining under Schumacher during their time together at Plymouth Argyle, Ennis joined Stoke to help them in front of goal.

However, he has also struggled for form at the bet365 Stadium, scoring only one goal in 14 league games during his first half of the season. Schumacher’s departure and the arrival of players like Tom Cannon and Sam Gallagher have also caused him to fall further down the rankings this season.

Late in the summer transfer season, the 25-year-old was connected to moves to League One teams Barnsley and Wrexham. However, because both teams aim to solidify their spots in the top six of the third division, they may try to rekindle their interest in the new year.

Pelach is obviously not impressed by his influence on the team when he enters as a substitute, thus he has since been relegated to seldom making the matchday squad. This is due to his unavoidable exit in January, either on loan or on a permanent contract.

Emre Tezgel

Since Pelach took over in September, young striker Emre Tezgel has struggled for minutes and ought to be given the opportunity to leave on loan in January, if he agrees to a new contract with his boyhood club.

The 19-year-old is currently behind Cannon and Sam Gallagher in the striking hierarchy. Although he made a strong comeback to the first team scene under former manager Steven Schumacher at the beginning of the season, he has had very few opportunities in recent months, and at this point in his development, he needs to play regularly at the senior level.

He was a highly regarded youth striker for many years, and when he made his senior debut in January 2022 at the age of 16 and 112 days, he became the youngest player to ever play for Stoke. However, he struggled with injuries before joining MK Dons on loan in the most recent January window to support their play-off push, where he made 17 appearances and recorded three goals and assists each under Mike Williamson.

Tezgel is unlikely to make a permanent appearance in the starting eleven anytime soon, as Stoke will undoubtedly try to recruit a new striker to compete with Cannon in the upcoming season. If the Leicester City loanee is called up to be sold by the Foxes, Stoke may even need to replace him.

If he is to be Stoke’s strike force in the long run, the club must promptly sign him to a new long-term contract before making any January loan moves, since his present one is set to expire at the conclusion of this season.