Nathan Jones is already looking to add to his side in the summer ahead of what is hoped will be an improved campaign on the pitch.

The former Luton Town manager moved from Kenilworth Road to the Bet365 Stadium on January 9 but has only overseen two wins since his move to the second tier.

Stoke have managed four defeats, and six draws in that time – but Jones has had to work mainly with a squad he inherited from former boss Gary Rowett.

And he has promised supporters he will look to minimise transfer mistakes of the past and recruit players who will have a positive impact on the Potters’ side next season.

Jones is under no illusions that the current squad is not good enough, and this recent address is an admission of that knowledge.

Stoke are 16 in the table and are out of contention for promotion and should be safe from relegation, so they can look to go out and enjoy the final eight games of the season.

And with the pressure off in the league, Jones can put more focus into getting recruitment right in the summer.

He was quoted by the Stoke Sentinel: “Our planning is to recruit a side that is extremely competitive at this level.

“That’s not to say we have given up all hope on anything else happening this season, but we want to be extremely competitive, and there’s a recruitment process here.

“We, coupled with the recruitment department here, will put in place strategies, positions and specific criteria. And we won’t veer too far from that - in an ideal world, we won’t veer at all from it.

“Obviously, if you want perfection, they are playing top end, Premier League, so you might have to compromise on one or two.”

Jones added the criteria he is going by in order to recruit the perfect type of Stoke player.

“Stoke City players will have a certain level of fitness, be of a certain age, will have quality, will have a hunger, will have a character that we are proud of and the club can be proud of,” he said.

“The process is well underway. And our process has been for a long period because I was recruiting for this level at my old club, with a slightly reduced budget, but the same type of player.

The verdict

This is smart by Jones who knows they will be fighting it out in the Championship next season.

Promotion and relegation are off the cards for this term, and with the final eight games only being battled for final league position and prize money, the focus should rightly move towards summer recruitment.

Stoke have been poor for years in player recruitment, and it ultimately led them to be relegated from the Premier League and subsequently struggle in the second tier.

Jones should be judged on what he does in the summer and how Stoke fare next year, that is when it will be his team.