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Baker and Nzonzi leave Stoke while Smit stays on
TL;DR
Stoke City has released midfielders Lewis Baker and Steven Nzonzi while signing striker Milan Smit on a permanent deal. The club also extended contracts for defenders Ben Wilmott and Junior Tchamadeu.
Key points
- Stoke City released midfielders Lewis Baker and Steven Nzonzi
- Milan Smit signed on a permanent deal
- Baker started 92 Championship matches for Stoke
- Nzonzi made 31 appearances this season
- New contracts given to defenders Ben Wilmott and Junior Tchamadeu
Stoke City
Stoke City have released midfielders Lewis Baker and Steven Nzonzi and signed striker Milan Smit on a permanent deal following the end of the club's Championship season.
The Potters have also given new contracts to defenders Ben Wilmott and Junior Tchamadeu.
Baker, 31, has departed after five seasons with the Potters during which he started 92 Championship matches, including 14 in the 2025-26 season.
Nzonzi, 37, returned to Stoke in August, a decade on from the end of his first spell at the club when the Potters were in the Premier League.
He made 31 appearances this term, passing 150 appearances for the club across his two stints.
Smit joined Stoke in the January window on loan from Dutch club Go Ahead Eagles - a move he said he hoped would help him become the "complete striker" - and scored twice in 14 appearances.
His temporary stay has now been made permanent following the activation of a 'conditional obligation' in the transfer agreement.
Injury restricted Junior Tchamadeu to only six appearances in the second half of the 2025-26 season [Getty Images]
Tchamadeu, 22, joined Stoke from Colchester United in the summer of 2023 and, after an injury-hit 2025-26 campaign, he has agreed a new deal until June 2028.
The Cameroon full-back has made 87 appearances for the Potters in total but a knee injury in January limited him to only six games since the turn of the year.
"His campaign was affected by injury on international duty, and a brief setback prior to his return in the final two matches, so it's crucial we work closely with him to ensure he is available for a more sustained period next year," sporting director Jonathan Walters told the club website.
"We all want to see players with the attributes that Junior brings to the team. With his energy and pace, he has the potential to develop into one of the most dynamic attacking full backs in the Championship and beyond."
Centre-back Wilmot has also extended his stay with the club into a sixth season after a 12-month extension to his contract was activated during the campaign.
Stoke said they remain "in dialogue" with veteran left-back Aaron Cresswell, 36, whose deal runs out this summer.
Q&A
Why did Stoke City release Lewis Baker and Steven Nzonzi?
Stoke City released Lewis Baker and Steven Nzonzi following the conclusion of the Championship season as part of their squad restructuring.
What are the career stats of Lewis Baker at Stoke City?
Lewis Baker made 92 Championship starts over five seasons with Stoke City, including 14 starts in the 2025-26 season.
How many appearances did Steven Nzonzi make for Stoke City?
Steven Nzonzi made 31 appearances in the current season, bringing his total to over 150 appearances across two spells at the club.
