Stoke City think they’ve got a coup by bringing in left-back Eric Bocat on a four-year contract
Eric Bocat impressed Stoke City scouts so much that they didn’t think they’d be able to get him to the club this summer.
Left-back Bocat, aged 24, has joined Stoke from Sint-Truidense VV for an undisclosed fee believed to be just north of £1 million, having been watched closely by Stoke hero and recruitment analyst Mama Sidibe, who has an in-depth knowledge of Belgian and French football.
He was wanted by Trabzonspor in January and was linked with Leicester City as they challenged for promotion to the Premier League – but it was Stoke who were able to get a deal over the line, with Bocat signing a four-year contract.
Steven Schumacher said: “Mama went out to watch him a couple of times live and when he went he didn’t think we’d be able to sign him. He thought he would go higher. That shows how good of a deal we’ve managed to do to get him here.
“He’s a player who’s got huge potential. He’s been playing over in Belgium, a French boy but speaks really good English.
“He’s got a really good understanding of the game and I was able to sit with him and explain tactically exactly what we want.
“Hopefully he’s an exciting one, he can come in and do well, progress and we’ll see him become a really top player.”
Bocat joins Enda Stevens, aged 33, in competing for the left-back spot while he can also play at wing-back and even on the wing.
He grew up near Paris and was on the books of Dijon and Lille before making his senior breakthrough in Belgium with Mouscron, leaving when the club was dissolved following a financial crisis and joining Sint-Truidense.
It is there that Bocat has been forging his reputation as a talented attacking full-back and he is excited about the next stage in his development.
“I’m really happy to come here,” he said. “It has been important for me since I was a kid to be a professional footballer first of all and to play in England. It is the best championship in the world. It’s the best move for me after my club in Belgium and I can’t describe the emotion for me. I’m proud of everyone who has helped get me here.
“All the people at the club, Mr Walters, have confidence in me and I’m very happy to be here.”
He added in an interview for the club: “As a player I would say that I’m offensive, I’m quick, fast. I like to dribble and do skills and of course I have to defend because as a left-back. Defensively I think I’ve improved a lot in the last couple of years.”
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