Josh Laurent to Stoke City: Is it a good potential move? Would he start? What does he offer?

Stoke City are reportedly closing in on the signing of Josh Laurent, as the midfielder looks set to leave Reading FC on the back of the 2021/22 campaign. 

Mike McGrath of The Telegraph notes how the final parts of Laurent’s move to Stoke will be completed in the coming days.

#Stoke set to sign Josh Laurent as a free agent after the midfielder's departure from #Reading. Final parts of deal to be completed in the coming days or next week #SCFC #ReadingFC #Royals

— Mike McGrath (@mcgrathmike) June 16, 2022

Michael O’Neill is working on something of a tight budget at the bet365 Stadium this summer, yet the capture of Laurent on a free transfer looks a particularly good piece of business.

The 27-year-old is heading into his peak years and heads into the summer on the back of a season that saw him make 41 appearances for a struggling Reading side.

We breakdown his lingering move to Stoke here:

On the face of things it does look a good move.

Laurent is a free agent this summer and obviously isn’t breaking the bank from a Stoke perspective.

Picking up a Championship-ready midfielder in these circumstances is never a bad thing, allowing whatever cash is available to be pumped into the squad elsewhere.

One of the biggest indicators that this is a good deal for Stoke is the disappointment amongst Reading supporters that Laurent hasn’t been retained.

Laurent completed 90 minutes in 39 of his 41 Championship appearances for Reading last season. He was a regular in the midfield for the Royals and, you’d imagine, as he moves onto a new challenge, he’s got the promise of regular game time.

It would be naive to think that Laurent will walk into Stoke’s side and just play every game. In football, and particularly in the Championship, it’s