Stoke City have signed midfielder, Luke Cundle on loan from Wolves until end of 2023-24 season.
Cundle spent the first half of this season on loan at Plymouth Argyle, where he scored five goals and created six assists in 27 appearances, of which the majority of his games came under manager – Steven Schumacher prior to Schumacher’s move to Stoke last month.
This loan move will now see Cundle reunited with Schumacher until the end of this season.
Speaking about his decision to join Stoke, Cundle commented: “Stoke City is a massive club, it’s a new chapter for me and I’m delighted to be here.
“I know the boss and his staff well having worked with them previously. I really like the ideas he puts across and how he gets his teams to play.
“He plays attacking, high energy football on the front foot, where everybody runs and passes forward, and that suits my game. I’m looking forward to getting going and letting my football do the talking.”
Stoke’s Technical Director, Ricky Martin added that Cundle “is already well versed in the style of play we are looking to implement at Stoke City.”
Martin proceeded to speak of Schumacher’s view that Cundle can help improve the squad in their fight for Championship survival, with the Potters currently sat 19th in the table and seven points above the relegation zone.
“Steven sees Luke as one of the brightest young talents around and as someone whose drive and personality will have a positive impact on our group.
“We have strong connections with Wolverhampton Wanderers, they believe Luke’s development will be well served with us, and we are equally excited by what he can bring to our side between now and the end of the season.”
Wolves’ Pathways manager, Steve Davis echoed Martin’s comments as he explained that Schumacher viewed Cundle as a player who “… could help them to be creative and add a goal threat.”
On the decision behind the mid-season switch despite Cundle performing well at Argyle, Davis said: “Luke had a really good spell at Plymouth, so there was no rush to take him away, but things moved quickly, and Luke wanted to give it a go there.”
“The move to Stoke is a third taste of the Championship for the midfielder, in a third different area of the country, which helps provide different experiences in the growing up process, on and off the pitch.”
Cundle spent last season on loan at Swansea which Davis believes was a launchpad for his successful stint at Plymouth, as he continued: “The first loan at Swansea was a good fit for him, in terms of how he plays, and he was able to show what he could do there.
“He kicked on from there at Plymouth. We always felt he could link the game well, but he needed to add goals and assists, and he certainly did that at Plymouth.
“Hopefully now he can carry on that form to help Stoke climb the league. Part of the pathway is to keep seeing improvements and with each loan, he’s showed that.”
Davis also iterated that Stoke are getting a strong player who can quickly transition into their team as he concluded: “Stoke know what they’re bringing in, he can fit straight into the way they want to play, he knows the system.
“A key advantage is having worked together and it should be seamless for Luke and hopefully he can be as consistent as he was at Plymouth.”
Cundle could make his debut for Stoke away at Rotherham on Saturday 13 January at 3pm GMT.
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