Latest Stoke City transfer news from StokeonTrentLive as new way of scouting players gains traction after Sheffield United revelation
Once upon a time, managers and coaches used to hit the road to scoutpotential transfer targets, then it was the old “moneyball” practice of studying the stats and then picking your recruits accordingly.
Now it seems that AI – or artificial intelligence – is the thing for go-ahead clubs aiming to steal a transfer march on their rivals.
While some wags might claim artificial intelligence has long been a plague on the game, the new owners of Sheffield United are reported to be basing their future recruitment on who they are told to buy or loan by computers – even if the AI “expert” advising them on a move for young centre-half Ashley Phillips, a Stoke loanee last season, is more motivated by being a Spurs fan than digital inspiration.
ChatGPT is the market leader in AI, and has now been used to select key players that each Championship club should sign this summer.
The insight comes courtesy of AceOdds.com, who tasked the application with finding three perfect signings for each team to plug their squad gaps.
A spokesperson for the gaming company said: “We thought it was about time someone gave Championship clubs a bit of a hand, so we unleashed ChatGPT on the transfer market, and the results are… surprisingly decent.”
Well, we will be the judge of that, especially as it is unclear whether each club’s spending power has been taken into account in selecting their trio of players, or the limitations of FFP cobncerns.
For Stoke, the players selected are Millwall right-back Danny McNamara, Reading midfielder Charlie Savage and Luton Town midfielder Theo Aasgaard, all fine players already attracting plenty of attention this summer.
Mark Robins was reportedly keen on a deal for McNamara in January before a knee injury ended his season. But the 26-year-old is out of contract this summer, the AI report says: “McNamara is a Championship-proven right-back with a balanced mix of defensive robustness and attacking support. He would address Stoke City’s flank vulnerability, adding crossing quality and offering sturdy full-back cover.”
Savage, son of former Derby, Leicester, Birmingham City and Blackburn midfielder Robbie, is a Manchester United academy product just like his old man.
The 22-year-old played 45 games for Reading in League One last term and has already been linked with money-bags Wrexham and Birmingham City this summer, plus Portsmouth.
Stoke certainly like a youngster, although whether they would be as keen on the £2m fee Savage is said to command is not so certain.
The AI appraisal says: “Charlie Savage is an energetic midfield talent who had a successful breakout season with Reading.
“He is strong in ball progression and box-to-box play. He’ll offer Stoke quality in transition play, progressive passing, and midfield dynamism.
“Savage adds creativity and temp control, helping solve Stoke’s scoring drought from midfield.”
The final selection is Luton’s Liverpool-born Norwegian international Thelo Aasgaard, another midfielder who did as much as anyone to keep the Hatters in the second tier before their relegation to League One was confirmed on the final day of last season.
Still only 23, he only joined Luton from Wigan in January for a reported £3m, but has already been tipped to move on to bigger and better things.
If that includes Stoke, we do not know, but the AI appraisal says: “The Norwegian under-21 international has strong attacking instincts and offers a goal threat from midfield.
“He’ll instantly inject goalscoring ability and will lift the creativity in the advanced midfield role.”
A host of other Stoke City players of the past also feature in the AI transfers, including flying wingback Joshua Tymon, who is tipped for moves to both West Brom and his former club Hull City.
Lynden Gooch, the wing-back released in May, is recommended to Watford, while current Stoke player Niall Ennis is tipped to end up at Sheffield Wednesday, despite the Owls being on the wrong end of an EFL three-window fee restriction for failing to pay their players and staff.
Elsewhere young goalie Joe Bursik is tipped to join Bristol City, while Preston’s former Stoke centre-half Liam Lindsay is linked with Blackburn Rovers.
