'Stoke King' Bae Jun-ho (22, Stoke City) is approaching a new challenge.

The U.K. 'Stoke Sentinel' reported on the 17th (Korea time) that "It is highly likely that Stoke City will not be able to retain its players, including Bae Jun-ho," adding that "particularly, major clubs have continued to express interest in key players such as Bae Jun-ho and Million Manhoef. The club is also aware of the likelihood of not being able to retain them."

Bae Jun-ho, a former member of the South Korea U-23 national team, joined Stoke City last year after leaving Daejeon Hana Citizen, taking on a challenge in the European stage. As the season approaches its final stretch, he has established himself as a key player for the team beyond just adapting to the league.

Moreover, last season, the local Stoke media 'Stoke-on-Trent Live' evaluated Bae Jun-ho, stating, "He has already shown the potential to become a game changer with a very important role." Additionally, U.S. media outlet 'ESPN' praised him after watching a match of the South Korean national team last year, saying, "Bae Jun-ho not only demonstrates outstanding skills on the left, like Son Heung-min, but also perfectly fulfills his role anywhere in the attacking lineup."

Bae Jun-ho has recorded 3 goals and 5 assists in 45 matches this season, alternating between the wing and attacking midfielder roles. He has solidified his position as a regular player, having played 79% of Stoke's league matches. He has been evaluated as irreplaceable, as suggested by his nickname 'Stoke King.'

Despite Bae Jun-ho's performance, Stoke finished 18th in the Championship, failing to be promoted. While they avoided relegation, there are concerns over the potential departure of key players. In fact, there have been numerous expressions of interest from clubs across Europe for key players, including Bae Jun-ho, Manhoef, Wouter Burger, and Viktor Johansson.

The 'Stoke Sentinel' noted, "First of all, the team captain and goalkeeper Johansson is likely to remain. However, it is highly likely that key resources like Bae Jun-ho and Manhoef will not be retained," adding that "due to Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, Stoke will need to sell a significant number of players during this summer's transfer market."

The media stated, "While it is indeed the case that Stoke must sell players, they will want a reasonable transfer fee. Previously, Stoke stated that there would be no selling players at bargain prices. To acquire key resources such as Bae Jun-ho, clubs will need to pay sufficient transfer fees," signaling the upcoming summer transfer market.

Bae Jun-ho has actually been linked to several major clubs, including Feyenoord, during last summer's transfer market. Feyenoord specifically made an offer of £8 million (approximately 14.3 billion won), but it was rejected by Stoke. Bundesliga and Serie A clubs are also showing interest in Bae Jun-ho. Even clubs in the English Premier League (PL) have been monitoring Bae Jun-ho, but all offers have been declined.

However, the situation has now changed. Given his commendable individual skills and attacking points this season amid the team's difficult circumstances, Bae Jun-ho's standing within the team and popularity among other teams remain strong. It remains to be seen which club will be the next destination for Bae Jun-ho.

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