Stoke City agree £1.25m transfer fee for keeper

Stoke City will sign goalkeeper Matija Sarkic from Wolves after the clubs agreed a £1.25m transfer fee.

The deal also includes bonuses and a sell on clause, reports the Telegraph.

Sarkic, aged 25, spent the second half of last season on loan at the bet365 Stadium, his third loan in three seasons. He showed glimpses of his potential at Stoke before his campaign was virtually ended by a quad injury in a 5-1 win at Sunderland in early March.

The keeper has been expected to move on since Wolves brought in Tom King on a free transfer from Northampton to be back up keeper to Jose Sa and Daniel Bentley, although Sa has subsequently been linked with interest from Nottingham Forest.

Sarkic has been at Wolves since being released by Aston Villa in July 2020 and has made only three appearances for them, spending most of his time away from Molineux. He was on loan at Birmingham in the 2021/22 campaign but had his season ended by a shoulder problem after 23 games.

Stoke have also been linked with Wolves centre back Dion Sanderson and right back Ki-jana Hoever who could both move on this summer. Sanderson is also wanted by Birmingham while Hoever impressed on loan at Stoke last season.

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Stoke City have a deal in place with Wolves for the signature of goalkeeper Matija Sarkic on a permanent deal, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Sarkic spent the latter half of last season on loan at Stoke and did enough to impress the club to pursue a permanent deal this summer.

The Potters have been in talks with Wolves to secure a deal to take the goalkeeper back to the bet365 Stadium in the ongoing window.

Wolves have also been open to letting him go as Sarkic is not part of Julen Lopetegui’s plans going forward.

It has been claimed that Stoke finally have an agreement in place with Wolves for his permanent transfer.

The Championship club have agreed to pay an initial fee of £1.25m as part of the deal between the two clubs.

Wolves stand to get more money from his departure as they have managed to include several add-ons and a sell-on clause.

Sarkic will now travel to Stoke where he will undergo a medical and sign a permanent contract with the club.

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After releasing several senior players at the end of last season, this summer always looked as if it would be a busy one for Stoke City.

With Alex Neil taking charge of his first pre-season and summer transfer window at the club, the Scotsman is no doubt keen to further put his stamp on the Potters squad by bringing in more players that suit how he wants to play.

With Enda Stevens and Ben Pearson having already arrived, it now appears that a very familiar face could soon be the club’s third signing of the summer.

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That is according to reports which suggest that the club have agreed a fee with Wolverhampton Wanderers to sign Matija Sarkic permanently.

As per John Percy of The Telegraph, an initial fee of £1.25 million has been agreed, although the deal is said to include bonuses and a sell-on clause, too.

Who is Matija Sarkic?

Stoke City supporters will be very familiar with Matija Sarkic, with the goalkeeper having spent the second half of the 2022/23 campaign on loan with the Potters.

Unfortunately, though, that loan was heavily disrupted by injury.

Following his arrival at the club, Sarkic was put straight into the starting line up, but after seven appearances. Sarkic was withdrawn at half-time during the club’s 5-1 win over Sunderland.

That injury would see him miss the vast majority of the rest of the season, with Sarkic only appearing one more time for the club – on the final day versus Watford.

Who else has Matija Sarkic played for?

 

Having come through the youth ranks at Anderlecht and then briefly at Aston Villa, Sarkic never made his debut for the senior side at Villa Park, instead, heading out on a number of loan spells during his time as a Villain.

This included spells with Wigan, Stratford Town, Havant and Waterlooville and Livingstone FC.

In July 2020, Sarkic made a permanent move to Wolves, but, more loans followed.

Spells with Shrewsbury, Birmingham City and of course, Stoke last season, were forthcoming before this summer.

How long does Sarkic have left on his Wolves contract?

As touched upon above, Sarkic joined Wolves in 2020, and, he last signed a contract extension with the club in July 2022.

His current deal at Molineux, therefore, runs until the summer of 2025.

What will Matija Sarkic cost Stoke City?

With two years left on his Wolves contract, Stoke City will have to pay a transfer fee for his services this summer.

Reports suggest that the club will pay an initial fee of £1.25 million.

Add-ons are said to be part of the deal, though, with Wolves also having a sell-on clause included.

Just what those bonuses are, and what percentage that sell-on clause is are unclear at this stage.