Stoke City have put to bed transfer talk swirling around academy graduate Emre Tezgel with the 19-year-old signing a new two-year contract to stay at the bet365 Stadium.
Both promoted Leeds United and Turkish top-flight outfit Fenerbahce have been linked with moves for Tezgel in recent weeks, but he has instead committed his immediate future to the Potters.
Sporting Director Jonathan Walters hailed the move, saying: “As a local lad who has progressed through our Academy pathway, it’s really positive news that Emre has committed his future to Stoke City.”
On Stoke’s books since the age of nine, Tezgel now has 40 senior appearances to his name, including his first loan spell away from the club at MK Dons in 2023/24.
He also became the cub’s youngest first-team player in January 2022, made 17 first team appearances last term and scored his first goals in Carabao Cup victories against Carlisle United and Middlesbrough.
Walters added: “(Academy director) Gareth Owen and I have spent a lot of time with Emre and his representatives this summer to map out the next stage of his career as he seeks to play regular first team football.
“We are aligned in our position that Emre is at the stage of his development where he needs to build on his first loan at MK Dons and his appearances here with increased exposure to first team football in the upcoming campaign.
“If the right opportunity in the right environment arises for Emre, then that may well be out on loan, as we saw with much success for both Nathan Lowe and Tommy Simkin last season.”
Tezgel, an England under-20 international, also scored 22 goals in 10 appearances for City’s under-21s last term, form which earned him the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for March.
