Championship side Stoke City have the option to trigger an automatic extension on key midfielder Nick Powell's contract next summer, according to Stoke-on-Trent Live.

The 27-year-old's deal at the bet365 Stadium is due to expire at the end of this season after signing a three-year contract with the club on his arrival in 2019 - and after becoming one of the Potters' key players in recent seasons - it previously looked like he could have left for free next summer after failing to agree fresh terms at this stage.

For a Stoke City side who have struggled in recent seasons but are now competing for a top-six spot as things stand, this would have been a disaster after seeing the attack-minded midfielder contribute heavily in recent seasons.

 

 

He recorded five goals and five assists during the 2019/20 campaign after arriving on a free transfer and outperformed some of the Potters' marquee signings from the summer of 2018, proving to be a shrewd addition for a club who had made costly errors in the transfer market following their relegation from the Premier League.

And he even built on a successful opening campaign at the bet365 Stadium as he scored a whopping 12 Championship goals during the 2020/21 season, overtaking the likes of Steven Fletcher and Jacob Brown to become the club's biggest attacking threat.

With this, it's no surprise that Stoke-on-Trent Live are also reporting that the club are keen to open negotiations over a fresh deal over the next few months - and now have the option of triggering a contract extension which could prove to be vital to their success.

The Verdict:

This option to trigger a contract extension is not just good because it means he could stay in Staffordshire for a season longer than some people would have thought, but it's also ideal from a financial aspect.

He may only have less than a year left on his current deal, but he effectively has over 18 months remaining on his contract now with Stoke's option to extend his stay and this will have allowed the Championship side to hold out for high offers from other teams over the past few months without the risk of losing him next summer.

If he continues to impress this season, the 27-year-old will only generate huge interest and though they wouldn't be able to negotiate a huge deal with another club at the end of next season when he will have just that extension to go until his contract expires, negotiating a cut-price agreement with another side for his services would be better than receiving nothing.

The Potters had a productive transfer window and went a long way in rectifying their mistakes from their summer of spending back in 2018 - and they will be hoping to continue in the same vein by either extending his contract or getting the best possible deal for him when it arises if negotiating fresh terms with their star man becomes an impossibility.

But in the short-term, this latest development on the midfielder's contract situation is great news for Stoke fans and those who inserted that option to automatically extend his stay at the bet365 Stadium should be commended.