Where are they now? The Stoke City team relegated in 2017/18
After a decade in the top flight, Stoke City were finally relegated back to the Championship in 2017/18.
The Potters had forged themselves a reputation as one of the hardest teams to beat in the Premier League, with many sides coming unstuck at the hands of their robust, non-compromising approach. They even reached the final of the FA Cup in 2011, losing to Manchester City and, thus, qualifying them for the Europa League.
However, after five successive years spent in mid-table security, finishing ninth three times and 13th twice, Stoke plummeted to 19th, going down with just 33 points and seven wins to their name. Mark Hughes and Paul Lambert both lost their jobs and the club have remained in the second tier ever since.
But despite their demotion, there was a clutch of extremely talented players in that group which have gone on to turn out at some of Europe’s biggest clubs, lifting league titles and Champions League crowns, no less. So, let’s jump in and take a look at them.
(NB – All players listed are those who made 10+ Premier League appearances during the 2017/18 season)
Goalkeeper
Jack Butland
2017/18 Premier League apps: 35
Butland was almost ever-present during this relegation campaign but despite being between the sticks for such a torrid campaign, it hasn’t hindered his reputation.
The former Birmingham City man was included in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the 2018 World Cup and regarded as one of the finest stoppers outside the English top flight. So much so that the 27-year-old was recently touted as a potential replacement for Liverpool’s under-fire back-up ‘keeper Adrian, although those links now appear to have gone cold. Nevertheless, there are plenty of Premier League clubs that could do worse.
Defenders
Kevin Wimmer
2017/18 Premier League apps: 17
Signed from Spurs for a massive £18m, there were high hopes for Wimmer when he arrived at Stoke in the summer of 2017. At the time, he was a mainstay in the Austrian national team and had picked up European experience during his time in north London.
However, a series of disastrous performances soon saw things turn sour, with supporters sighing at the sight of his name on the teamsheet rather than celebrating, while Lambert even had to place him on a fitness regime.
Still technically a Stoke player, Wimmer hasn’t made an appearance for the club since their relegation, spending time out on loan in Germany with Hannover and in Belgium with Royal Excel Mouscron. As a result, he’s also lost his place in the Austrian set-up.
Moritz Bauer
2017/18 Premier League apps: 15
The Austrian international was signed to try and help steady the ship during the January transfer window, arriving at the club just six days before the appointment of Lambert. Although Stoke did improve defensively, it was at the cost of their output in the final third.
Bauer has remained with the Potters since their relegation, although he’s made just 11 senior appearances for the club during that time, compared to 13 appearances across all competitions on loan at Celtic last season.
Erik Pieters
2017/18 Premier League apps: 31
Like Bauer, Pieters remained with Stoke following their relegation and even began the 2018/19 Championship season with two goals — remarkable, considering that contributes to just six league goals across his entire career so far. However, he spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Ligue 1 side Amiens before joining Burnley, where the former Netherlands international continues to forge a solid Premier League career.
Kurt Zouma
2017/18 Premier League apps: 34
Like Butland, Zouma (signed on loan from Chelsea) is another whose reputation hasn’t particularly been harmed by Stoke’s relegation. In fact, the Frenchman has gone from strength to strength.
Zouma spent the following season on loan at Everton and was arguably then-manager Marco Silva’s most consistent centre-back, and his form at Goodison Park has been enough to see him finally become a first-team regular back at Chelsea, making 43 appearances across all competitions last season and getting plenty of minutes in this campaign so far, too.
Since his Stoke spell, Zouma has also been able to pick up three more senior caps for France — a sure sign of his development over the past few years.
Bruno Martins Indi
2017/18 Premier League apps: 17
Martins Indi was signed permanently from Porto for £7m after impressing on loan during the 2016/17 season, but injuries restricted the Netherlands international to just 17 Premier League outings the following campaign.
Now 28, Martins Indi has remained with Stoke since their relegation, making over 70 Championship appearances, but was recently loaned to AZ Alkmaar back in his home country.
Ryan Shawcross
2017/18 Premier League apps: 27
Through promotion, Europe and relegation, Shawcross has remained a Stoke City stalwart and, to be honest, is a club legend with 450 appearances to his name across all competitions since signing from Manchester United way back in 2007.
However, at 33, his body is not what it once was and Shawcross has been limited to just five first-team appearances since the start of last season due to various injuries.
Midfielders
Joe Allen
2017/18 Premier League apps: 36
Allen has remained with Stoke in the Championship, managing an impressive 10 goals and six assists across the last two seasons and continuing to showcase the stylish ball-playing traits which attracted Liverpool to his services back in the day.
He is yet to feature this season as he continues to recover from an Achilles injury which has sidelined him since March.
Geoff Cameron
2017/18 Premier League apps: 20
Cameron arrived from MLS side Houston Dynamo in 2012 and became a solid option for the Potters across both defence and midfield, making 186 appearances for the club across all competitions.
Following Stoke’s relegation, the United States international was loaned to QPR, where he now remains on a permanent basis.
Charlie Adam
2017/18 Premier League apps: 11
He’s had his ups and downs, but there’s no denying Adam has always possessed a wand of a left foot, showcasing it on numerous occasions for the likes of Blackpool, Liverpool and Stoke across his career.
Unfortunately, the former Scotland international was on the decline by the time the 2017/18 campaign came around, managing just 11 Premier League appearances, during which he missed a crucial last-minute penalty against Brighton and got himself sent off against Everton.
Adam remained with the Potters before one more season and now turns out for Dundee following a short stay at Reading.
Badou Ndiaye
2017/18 Premier League apps: 13
Another of the January arrivals, Ndiaye made a decent start to life at Stoke, scoring twice in 13 Premier League appearances from midfield, although it wasn’t enough to keep the Potters up.
The Senegal international started Stoke’s first game back in the Championship but was heavily criticised by supporters for his poor performance during a 3-1 defeat to Leeds United. Since then, he’s spent time on loan with various Turkish clubs — including a return to Galatasaray — with sporadic outings for Stoke in-between.
Ramadan Sobhi
2017/18 Premier League apps: 24
Signed as a promising young midfielder and title-winner back in Egypt with Al Ahly, things never truly took off in England for Sobhi, who started just 20 games across two seasons for Stoke, then playing just four times for Huddersfield, who he joined after the Potters were relegated.
After a loan spell back at Al Ahly, Sobhi remains in his homeland with Pyramids FC, although he hasn’t been capped for Egypt since 2018.
Darren Fletcher
2017/18 Premier League apps: 27
Fletcher joined Stoke in 2017 after playing in 76 consecutive Premier League matches for West Brom, carrying on that streak with the Potters to become just the eighth player in the competition to break the 100 consecutive appearance mark. A remarkable achievement considering his previous fitness issues.
Fletcher stayed with Stoke for their return to the Championship but mustered just 13 appearances across all competitions in 2018/19. The former Manchester United man is now retired.
Forwards
Xherdan Shaqiri
2017/18 Premier League apps: 36
Shaqiri was Stoke’s top scorer during their relegation campaign with eight goals and that was enough to attract the attention of Jurgen Klopp, who brought him to Liverpool as back-up for his front three and midfield.
This versatility has allowed him to make over 40 appearances for the Reds across all competitions so far and although the Switzerland international often has to remain patient as he waits for chances, he has brought home Champions League, Premier League, Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup titles while at Anfield.
Saido Berahino
2017/18 Premier League apps: 15
It was seen as something of a statement when Stoke managed to secure the signing of Berahino in January 2017 but to say things didn’t go to plan would be understating it. A 913-day goalless streak and disciplinary issues barely scratch the surface of a turbulent time with the Potters but Berahino has rediscovered his scoring touch in the Belgian top flight with Zulte Waregem.
Eric Choupo-Moting
2017/18 Premier League apps: 30
After scoring just five goals in 30 Premier League appearances during Stoke’s relegation, few could have predicted the remarkable career path enjoyed by Choupo-Moting after leaving the club. But, indeed, the Cameroon international has represented some of Europe’s biggest clubs, lifted two league titles in France with Paris Saint-Germain and even played in a Champions League final.
Despite some rather questionable finishing, Choupo-Moting is an excellent target man and Plan B, but even so, you still find yourself staring in disbelief at his trophy cabinet and, indeed, having just signed for the Bundesliga and European champions, the list of clubs he’s represented.
Jese Rodriguez
2017/18 Premier League apps: 13
Jese’s career sort of feels like the reverse of Choupo-Moting’s, joining Stoke on loan from PSG (who signed him from Real Madrid, themselves) as his career trajectory dropped like a stone.
The talented Spaniard managed just one goal in 13 Premier League appearances for the Potters and never really looked like living up to the fanfare which surrounded his signing. Since leaving England, Jese has had further unsuccessful loan spells at Real Betis and Sporting CP — scoring three goals in 35 appearances across all competitions — and while he’s still contracted to PSG, it’s unlikely we’ll see him out on the pitch any time soon.
Mame Biram Diouf
2017/18 Premier League apps: 35
Diouf’s career has been plagued with inconsistencies, going from reliable goalscorer one season to a one-goal wonder the next.
The Senegal international stayed with Stoke for another two seasons following their relegation but managed just one goal in 24 outings across all competitions. The former Man Utd and Blackburn Rovers man now finds himself in Turkey with Super Lig side Hatayspor.
Peter Crouch
2017/18 Premier League apps: 31
Crouch took up something of a super-sub role during the 2017/18 campaign, scoring five Premier League goals despite starting just 14 games, although it wasn’t enough to keep Stoke afloat.
The veteran target man remained with the Potters for the first half of the 2018/19 campaign but managed just one goal in 23 Championship appearances before a shock move back to the Premier League with Burnley.
Crouch retired in July 2019 at the age of 38 having played for 11 different clubs across 735 professional club outings, scoring 22 goals in 42 England caps along the way.
