Stoke City winger Bae Jun-ho hasn’t had much of an impact in red and white this season, but similar to his debut season, he scored his first goal in February. Potters supporters and manager Mark Robins are hoping that this will be the spark that ignites him to start playing regularly again.
Amidst a flurry of summer arrivals, Jun-ho joined Stoke from K-League team Daejon Hana Citizen in August 2023, joining the Potteries as a relative unknown on a four-year contract for an estimated value of roughly £2 million.
Initially, he had trouble adjusting to English football under both Alex Neil and Steven Schumacher, but he has since developed into a valuable player for the Potters, either off the left wing or in attacking midfield.
Although he has once again struggled to make an impression in games this season, the 21-year-old eventually won Stoke’s Player of the Year award at the end of his debut campaign after some outstanding performances in the second half of the season. Due to playing so many games for both club and country, he probably had burnout, and the Potters have cut and switched management.
Green sprouts are present, though. Over the weekend, he scored his first goal of the year against Swansea City, giving Robins’ team the lead in what would turn out to be a crucial victory. In the months that follow the crucial finish, the Stoke manager will be hoping that lightning strikes twice and that Jun-ho can now replicate his 2024 heroics.
Bae Jun-ho became a key man for Stoke after a slow start
After being fired by Alex Neil in December of last year, Jun-ho started to push his way into the starting lineup under Schumacher after having been mostly restricted to substitute appearances upon arrival.
He scored the team’s first goal on February 24 against Cardiff City, then a week later, in a crucial victory over Middlesbrough at home, he scored a superb solo goal to help Stoke fight against relegation. He then turned into a vital component of the team’s efforts to survive.
During the second half of the season, and particularly during the final eight games of the season, he was instrumental in helping Schumacher’s team avoid relegation by losing just once.
The club’s Player of the Year award, chosen by the supporters, was immediately given to Jun-ho, who finished the season with two goals and six assists in 40 games across all competitions, capping off an incredible rookie season.
The South Korean international’s impressive play with the Potters prompted reports that three Premier League teams were keeping an eye on his progress, clubs in the Bundesliga and Serie A were made aware of his transfer situation, and Feyenoord was interested in signing him, according to Dutch publication 1908.nl.
| Bae Jun-ho Stoke City 2023/24 Championship statistics |
| Appearances |
38 |
| Goals |
2 |
| Assists |
5 |
| Shot-creating actions per 90 |
3.84 |
| Progressive carries per 90 |
2.97 |
| Successful take-on % |
43.9% |
According to a July report from StokeOnTrentLive, the winger’s contract was not up for another three years, and the Potters were not in a rush to sell. Fulham was also rumored to be admirers of the player following his breakthrough season in the Championship.
Jun-ho’s heroics against Swansea could see his season spark into life once again
Jun-ho’s uneven play this season has left Potters supporters perplexed and questioning whether the club should have allowed him to depart for a substantial amount if one was offered, despite the fact that there was intense transfer interest from other teams in the summer.
Like the majority of the team, he has suffered from burnout from playing too many minutes at a level higher than the K-League and being played out of position at right-wing, as well as Stoke’s repeated managerial changes, which have seen Robins take over as their third manager this season.
Prior to Saturday’s crucial matchup against the Swans at the bet365 Stadium, he had not scored this season. For a major portion of the game, it appeared as though that would continue until Robins substituted Jun-ho for Lewis Koumas and put the visitors ahead.
The twenty-one-year-old came alive almost instantly, and it was he who drew the foul, which Lewis Baker then delivered onto Wouter Burger’s head to tie the score. Eight minutes later, he did it again in a similar area, and he was on the end of Million Manhoef’s chipped free-kick to skillfully put the Potters ahead.
As the weight of his goalless streak was removed off his shoulders, Jun-ho celebrated his long-awaited goal with obvious emotion. His goal did turn out to be vital, as Stoke quickly won the game in the dying seconds with a Baker miracle strike from his own half.
The Potters and manager Robins may care more about Jun-ho’s comeback in the weeks and months ahead than Baker’s goal, which made headlines immediately following the 3-1 triumph at home.
According to the Stoke manager’s post-match comments, the 21-year-old had performed “really, really good,” and his performance on the left flank as opposed to the right had taught him something.
Everyone associated with the Potters will be hoping that another February goal is what it takes to get his campaign off to a strong start this time around, given his circumstances this season have been quite similar to those of the previous one. In order to escape the bottom three, Stoke needs their players to step up, and Jun-ho’s spectacular comeback against the Swans might serve as the impetus for further success in the months to come.
