Stoke City will not easily allow the transfer amid reports that they are interested in Bae Joon-ho in big leagues including Eredivisie Feyenoord in the Netherlands and the English Premier League.
Carlton Palmer, who served as England’s representative when he was a player, said in an exclusive interview with British media Football League World on the 19th (Korea time), “Stoke City should not sell Bae Joon-ho this summer.”
Palmer urged Stoke City to take a firm stance on Bae Jun-ho’s future this summer, while insisting that Feyenoord and other suitors need a significant transfer fee to persuade Stoke City.
“Bae Jun-ho had a fantastic season in Stoke City last season and was named the club’s player of the year,” Palmer said. “He is attracting attention from other places through his performance. He received attention at the Under-20 World Cup, moved to England and was called up to the first adult national team, and will also participate in the process of advancing to the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals.”
“Stoke City has no plans to sell Bae unless it is an unbelievable offer,” he said. “They think he will be a huge asset. Schumacher is building a squad for promotion next season.”
The British team talk said on the 18th, “The Netherlands’ Eredivisie Feyenoord is aiming for Bae Jun-ho,” adding, “It is not only Feyenoord that is interested in Bae Jun-ho. According to sources, the Bundesliga, Serie A clubs, and three Premier League teams are watching Bae Jun-ho’s moves.”
Earlier a day earlier, the Dutch media 1908, which deals with the news of Lung Enort, said, “Feyenort is preparing to recruit Bae Jun-ho. He plays for Stoke City, but he is fascinated by Feyenort’s interest.”
“Bae Jun-ho can play as an offensive midfielder and winger,” the media said. “Feyenoord can communicate directly with Bae Jun-ho’s agency. After several face-to-face interviews, thorough analysis, and high-rated reports, Feyenoord was confident that Bae Jun-ho could immediately reinforce his first-team strength and expects detailed transfer work to take place in the future.”
“Bae Jun-ho is contracted with Stoke City until 2027, but according to sources, he is interested in playing in the Champions League at Feyenoord,” he said. “Fyenoord concluded that Bae Jun-ho fits perfectly into the new formation and game perspective that head coach Brian Frisk will use.”
According to Team Talk, Feyenoord is fascinated by Bae and is desperately seeking to recruit him. He is confident that he will be able to recruit Bae by paying 8 million pounds (or around 14 billion won) for a transfer fee. Feyenoord is also the second-ranked team in the Eredivisie last season that has qualified for the UEFA Champions League along with PSV Eindhoven, the champion.
In response, Palmer said, “Bae signed a four-year contract in August last year. It is certainly a pleasure for him that teams like Feyenoord are interested in him. In addition, Feyenoord is a team that is participating in the Champions League. However, Stoke City has no plans to sell Bae. They have made this very clear, so if Feyenoord wants Bae, he will have to prepare a huge amount of money.”
Bae Jun-ho, a former member of Pyeongtaek Jinwi FC who is dominating the high school stage, appeared in the K-League right after graduating from high school. He has grown into a versatile offensive resource, wearing Daejeon uniform and looking at the sides and center. He successfully settled in the professional field by scoring one goal in 10 K-League 2 matches in the 2022 season, and displayed his talent by scoring two goals in 17 matches in the K-League 1 last year.
He contributed to advancing to the semifinals at the FIFA Argentina Under-20 World Cup, where he was selected as a key player. He scored one goal and three assists throughout the tournament, making him one of the top 10 goalscoring for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Stoke City sent scouts not only to international competitions but also to the K-League to keep an eye on Bae last summer. “Bae Joon-ho is a talented player who caught the eye of our power analysis team at this year’s U-20 World Cup in Argentina,” said Ricky Martin, then technical director of Stoke, who led the recruitment. “I have high expectations on Bae’s potential.” 안전놀이터
Bae Jun-ho quickly adapted to the unfamiliar English stage. He played in 38 games, scoring two goals and five assists, helping Stoke City stay in the championship. He was named the club’s Player of the Month three times with his undulating performance and even became the club’s player of the year by fans after the season ended. When receiving the Player of the Month award in February, the club officially recognized him as the ace by describing him as the “King of Stoke.” His fellow player Josh Roan is called a “magic” for his performance, showing his position in the team.
When asked who the best player in Stoke City was, striker Ryan Mmeier from Morocco said, “All of my teammates are amazing, but Bae Jun-ho in particular impressed me. He is very good. He is very technical and has the ability to rise to the top. He was definitely a player that stood out to me.”
Football League World also analyzed, “Stoke City should not sell Bae Joon-ho this summer,” adding, “Bae Joon-ho will not only be a great asset for Stoke City at the stadium this upcoming season, but his value will be even higher and he will be able to bring much greater profits to the club.”
“Stoke City may have to balance its finances through the sale of players this summer and coach Schumacher may have to raise funds for strengthening the squad, but Bae Jun-ho is one of the players who should not be cashed in,” he stressed.
