Nobody would have predicted the Potters to have such a dismal season given how busy they have been in previous transfer windows, especially since the Coates family has helped the team become one of the more financially solid ones in the division.
Moroccan striker Ryan Mmaee was one of Stoke’s twenty summer additions. The 26-year-old player, who was born in Belgium, joined The bet365 Stadium in July after leaving Hungarian team Ferencváros for an undisclosed sum of £3.4 million. His contract was for three years.
But things haven’t exactly gone as planned, as Mmaee is now working with the club’s U21 squad instead of the first team due to disciplinary issues.
After netting 32 goals in 73 games for Ferencváros and starting every match for the team during their 2022–2023 Europa League campaign, the striker came to Stoke with a solid reputation.
Maee has only made 23 appearances since joining the Potters, though, with four goals and four assists.
He hasn’t scored for Steven Schumacher’s team since December 29. He was left out of the matchday lineup for their last two games, which were against Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City.
Maee’s exclusion from the first squad is attributed to “poor discipline in training,” according to TeamTalk.
Schumacher stated at a recent news conference, “I won’t get into the specifics, but there have been a few occasions where I thought Ryan wasn’t buying into that.
Demanding things of the entire team when there is only one member who has let the coaching staff and players down is unfair.
It conveys the idea that we mean business when we say things. I will not come here and make a careless comment.
“We must stand by the things we say and demand of the players. Ryan isn’t available right now.
“A player’s door is never completely closed, but if he wants to have an impact on this team again, things need to change from his perspective.”
But Mmaee is determined to win a spot back in the lineup. According to the player’s reps, Ryan wants to make amends and demonstrate to the fans why he became a Potter, TeamTalk reports.
“He has always aimed to be the greatest player he can be at Stoke City, and he is dedicated to achieving what is required of him.
“For the remainder of the season, he will make every effort to demonstrate that he is happy to be at the club.”
TeamTalk said that Mmaee’s late transfer was being considered by Championship rivals Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday, but the player preferred to stay at The bet365 Stadium to establish his value.
In retrospect, a January transfer could have been advantageous for all sides, but the player has subsequently been informed that he is no longer a member of the Potters first squad.
Given that Stoke is at the bottom of the table, it makes sense why they wouldn’t want to let Mmaee, who has the potential to be a very excellent player, to join a direct Championship opponent. However, doing so would have freed up some much-needed squad space.
For the remainder of the season, it would have been reasonable for the team to loan Mmaee out. It would have removed the player from Schumacher’s roster temporarily and let him to play normal football because he wasn’t contributing anything to the team.
Should Mmaee excel in a different setting, the Potters would have been well-positioned to demand a respectable fee for a permanent move in the summer, potentially recovering a portion of the £3.4 million they originally spent for him.
Although it’s great to look back, it appears that the club made a grave error by denying him permission to depart last month.
Leave a Reply