Stoke City fail with six-figure transfer move for Wolves player | OneFootball

Stoke City have had a £500,000 offer rejected by Wolves for midfielder Luke Cundle.

Highlights

Stoke City have had a £500,000 offer for Luke Cundle turned down by Wolves, as they look to bring the midfielder back to the Bet365 Stadium after his loan spell last season.

Cundle spent the previous campaign working with Potters boss Steven Schumacher, who he initially brought to Plymouth, before a temporary switch to Stoke was arranged in the New Year.

Whilst it was a disappointing period for Stoke, as they needed late victories to move clear of the relegation zone, Cundle did show signs of his quality.

And, it appears Schumacher is keen on reuniting with the 22-year-old, as the Telegraph revealed that Stoke have had an offer rejected for the player.

Wolves reject £500,000 offer from Stoke City for Luke Cundle

They claim that a £500,000 bid was rejected by Wolves, with boss Gary O’Neil believed to have been impressed with Cundle during pre-season.

With Boubacar Traore and Joao Gomes linking up with the group late due to international commitments, Cundle had the chance to play in several pre-season friendlies, as well as working with the boss on a day-to-day basis.

Nevertheless, with Mario Lemina and Tommy Doyle also on the books, it will be difficult for Cundle to get near the XI.

Wolves’ asking price means permanent deal could be difficult

Following on from that, the Express & Star has stated that the Premier League side value Cundle at close to £4m.

In truth, the initial offer from Stoke did seem on the low side, as Cundle has proven himself as a capable Championship player, and he still has two years left on his contract at Molineux, so they are under no pressure to cash in.

Given the first offer, it seems unlikely that Stoke will offer near £4m, so plenty of negotiation will be needed if this deal is to happen.

Alternatively, another loan can’t be ruled out, although Wolves would surely want Cundle to extend his contract in order to protect his value.

Luke Cundle needs to be playing regularly

From Cundle’s perspective, he is at a stage in his career where he needs to be playing week in, week out.

So, whilst he may dream of breaking into the Wolves side and playing in the Premier League, if that’s not going to happen, he must look elsewhere, whether it’s a loan or a permanent move.

In an ideal world, he would want a permanent home after spending the last two years out on loan, but that may not be possible if Wolves’ valuation isn’t met.

Stoke City’s summer transfer plans

An impressive opening day win over Coventry City shows that there is talent in the Stoke squad, but it’s also clear they need more new faces through the door.

Most would agree that a midfielder like Cundle, who can play in different roles, would be very welcome, whilst a number nine is also going to be a priority for Schumacher.

Overall, though, Stoke have had a good window so far, and the recruitment team will hope they can continue to be active up to the deadline.