Goal rush to bottle clanger - 12 players who left Stoke last summer

Wouter Burger has been a hit at Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga but there are one or two others who have near enough vanished from the football world over the last 12 months. Some will be remembered more fondly than others for their contributions in a Stoke shirt while some have already been almost forgotten.

Here is a look at what happened next for the players who said their goodbyes at the bet365 Stadium last summer, from loans who returned to their parent clubs to those who were released or sold.

Had enjoyed a loan spell at Blackpool in 2024/25 before making the permanent switch last summer, but was rocked by an Achilles injury in September. Limited to just 12 starts and 14 substitute appearances in League One, scoring six goals, as Blackpool ended up in 13th.

Boss Ian Evatt told the Blackpool Gazette in February: “We’ve missed him for far too long. He’s had a significant injury and it’s taken him a long time to get back. He’s not a naturally fit lad, so he needs time and work - he’ll be the first to admit that."

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Versatile 30-year-old has been blighted by injuries at Huddersfield, making 22 starts in League One. He's chipped in with a couple of goals and six assists.

A measure of the man in how he befriended brave young Stoke fan Ollie Royles, including making sure he was at the funeral to pay respects in April.

Joined Salford City in League Two in September, played in three wins but then didn't feature again due to injury.

Veteran left-back had a stop-start time at Stoke due to injuries. Played in a pre-season friendly for Chesterfield but injury struck again. Has re-emerged at old club Shamrock Rovers and is back playing regularly as they top the League of Ireland table. Scored against Bohemians recently.

Injury delayed Thompson's start at Preston and he ended up with 10 Championship starts. Received a three-game ban in the spring after kicking a water bottle into the stands at Norwich and hitting a supporter on the head.

Has put himself into Netherlands contention thanks to a stellar first season in the Bundesliga. Now 25, he scored four goals and laid on another five as Hoffenheim finished fifth.

The 19-year-old midfielder has played regularly for Jong PSV as he tries to make his breakthrough into the senior side.

The 28-year-old forward barely played for a season-and-a-half but he has been able to stay on the pitch after joining Omonoia, in the Cyprus league. He scored 25 times in 30 appearances as the club ran away with the title and Italian football reporter Rudy Galetti made the Cypriot press excited with a claim that he could have a €3 million price tag this summer.

At the World Cup with Iraq despite an injury-plagued season on loan at Luton Town in League One. Scored once in two starts and 11 substitute appearances.

He said in a message to Luton supporters: "Injuries made it my most difficult season to date. I’m very grateful to the people at the club that took care of me all season. I thoroughly enjoyed the last few months of the season and the transformation of this team. This club is special and I’m confident that it will get back where it belongs soon."

Ended a tough loan spell at Stoke and has went on to be sent out by Man City to Radomiak Radom in Poland. Had just started to feature in games haeding into March when he suffered an Achilles tendon injury.

Went from a loan at Stoke to a loan in Los Angeles before joining Preston on a permanent transfer from Brighton in January. Now 22, he said last month: "I probably need that bit more consistency in my game to take that next step. I’ve never had a full pre-season at the club that I’m going to be at, really, in senior football. I’ve always been going on loans late in the window and stuff like that, so I’m really looking forward to it."

A tough loan at Birmingham City has been followed by a loan at Hull where he made cameo appearances as they won promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs. Scored his first goal for Wales last week, against Ghana.

Wales boss Craig Bellamy said: "[He is a] nine because we don't really have any nines coming through and we do have a lot of wingers, brilliant wingers. He could definitely be a huge asset for us on the wing but, due to our lack of nines coming through the system, we've used him a lot in training that way and he's really been electric.

"There's a lot to like about Koomy. He's such a young player and I'm over the moon he got his goal because he's deserved it."

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