Stoke desperately chase buyers for first-teamers to fund TWO late forward reinforcements

Stoke City are still hoping to find buyers for any of a number of first-team squad players on transfer deadline day to fund the two reinforcements Steven Schumacher wants to make in attack, TEAMtalk can reveal.

We revealed earlier this month that Stoke were open to offers on midfield trio Ben Pearson, Lewis Baker and Daniel Johnson, but all three players remain at the bet365 Stadium going into the final day of the window.

And with Schumacher desperate to add pace and goals to his frontline, the Potters have been busy trying to find interested parties for several other players to create the financial wiggle room they need to strengthen the new head coach’s options.

They spoke again with Wolves about making Luke Cundle loan’s deal a permanent one before deciding it was too expensive, while they are understood to have rejected an offer from Verona for Tyrese Campbell, who has turned down a move to another Championship club. The 24-year-old is out of contract in the summer and believes he will have better options then.

D’Margio Wright-Phillips is one player that does look set to leave, for Belgian side Germinal Beerschot, while Wesley is keen to move on and had been talking to clubs in Saudi Arabia, where the window closed on Tuesday.

But TEAMtalk can exclusively real that Stoke have also been inviting offers for Ryan Mmaee, who they only signed in the summer for a reported £3.4million from Ferencvaros.

Stoke set to sign Vitesse winger Million Manhoef

Mmaee has scored four goals in 23 appearances in England so far, and though Schumacher has spoken positively about him, the Moroccan was dropped for last Saturday’s game, a 3-1 defeat at Sunderland.

Our information is that Mmaee, as things stand, there is no movement for the Stoke striker, and he is 100% committed to Stoke and happy.

However, with Schumacher open to his sale, it’s impossible to rule out a deadline-day move for him, even at this stage.

It remains to be seen whether Mmaee or any other players will move on – there has been talk of interest in Baker from Turkey – but Stoke are pressing ahead nevertheless with a €4million move for Vitesse winger Million Manhoef.

The 22-year-old is a left-footer who can play down either flank and will provide Schumacher with the pace, directness and energy he accused his team of lacking after their setback at the Stadium of Light.

We reported earlier in the window that Leicester City and Rangers were among a host of clubs keeping tabs on Manhoef, while Palermo and PSV are also said to have expressed an interest, but the Netherlands under-21 international is now on his way to the Potteries to put pen to paper on a three- or four-year deal.

And while there is belief Manhoef can help ease the team’s goalscoring issues – he’s scored 16 in 88 appearances for Vitesse – Stoke are still doing everything possible to sign a centre-forward too in what could be a busy day of ins and outs.

Several targets are still in the mix, with the search believed to be focusing on the European market.