BEST NEWS: Stoke City has confirmed the agreement with Newcastle United to acquire key player Alexander Isak for a reported fee of €20.5 million.

Looking at Stoke City’s transfer activity in the 21st century, the club has demonstrated a willingness to spend when necessary. Notable names like Giannelli Imbula, Kevin Wimmer, and Badou Ndiaye have all been record signings for fees exceeding £15 million.

Such investments were often deemed essential for Premier League competitiveness, especially during the club’s ten-year stint in the top-flight from 2008 to 2018.

However, not all of Stoke’s dealings have been high-profile transfers. In 2006, they made one of their most significant modern signings, securing Jamaican striker Ricardo Fuller from Southampton for a mere £500,000.

Fuller’s impact was immediate and profound. He played a pivotal role in securing promotion to the Premier League and helped Stoke City maintain their status in the top-flight during their early years back. His contributions earned him a special place in the hearts of the club’s supporters, becoming a beloved figure and a legend in Stoke City’s history.

Fuller’s statistics reflect his importance to the team. Despite not being the most prolific scorer, his goals were often crucial, and he also provided nine assists in his debut season. His goal tally improved in subsequent seasons, sharing the club’s top scorer title with Liam Lawrence in one instance and consistently being a vital contributor to the team’s success.

Crucially, Stoke City secured a comfortable 12th-place finish that season, maintaining their Premier League status and averting an immediate return to the Championship.

However, Fuller’s goal-scoring prowess diminished in the subsequent Premier League campaign, as he managed just three goals. Despite this, he surprisingly clinched the club’s top scorer accolade once more, tallying eight goals across all competitions.

His impact was notable in the FA Cup, where he netted four times, propelling Stoke to the quarter-finals where they defeated formidable opponents like Arsenal and Manchester City before succumbing to Chelsea.

As Fuller entered his thirties, his goal output declined, and from the 2010/11 season onwards, he only managed five goals in 54 appearances for the club.

In August 2012, Fuller’s tenure at Stoke City concluded, as he departed for Charlton Athletic on a free transfer.