Stoke City have placed a valuation of around £30 million on goalkeeper Josef Bursik according to Peterborough United’s director of football Barry Fry.

Bursik has been signed by Peterborough on an emergency loan deal from Stoke until the end of the campaign, with the League One club having suffered an injury to their number one keeper Christy Pym. It was a deal that was allowed to go through because Darren Ferguson’s promotion-chasing side’s back-up options between the sticks had made just five football league appearances.

The keeper had returned early to Stoke’s squad from a loan spell with Doncaster Rovers in League One earlier on in the campaign, where he had managed to record two clean sheets in his ten league appearances. Following his return to the Potters due to injuries to both Angus Gunn and Adam Davies, the 20-year-old made 15 appearances and kept seven clean sheets in that time (Sofascore).

Speaking to the Peterborough Telegraph, Fry has suggested that it has been revealed to him by the Potters that they value Bursik at around £30 million in the current transfer market. He suggested that is because of how impressive he was when he was in the side during the injury lay-offs to Gunn and Davies.

He said:

“They value Josef at £30 million. He was excellent at Doncaster on loan earlier this season and then played 15 Championship matches for Stoke who were so impressed they gave him a new contract on good wages.”

The verdict

If this is indeed accurate, then £30 million seems to be a very sizeable valuation for Stoke to have placed on Bursik but it shows just how highly the Potters rate the young goalkeeper. They are also in a very strong position with him contractually so that will enable them to get the best possible deal for him if there was any interest in him in the future.

Bursik has yet to establish himself as Stoke’s first choice keeper and he will face a massive task in pre-season to convince Michael O’Neill he should be their number one next term ahead of Gunn and Davies. However, he has the chance to show his quality once again at Peterborough and place himself even more firmly in the thoughts of his manager at the Bet365 Stadium.

It has undoubtedly been an excellent campaign for the 20-year-old who has impressed wherever he has been playing. He will be keen to keep getting regular football next term, so the Potters are going to face another major decision over his immediate future when he returns in the summer.