Stoke City have never seen a summer like it.

There have been 37 transfer deals in and out in this window, with 18 signings – including one who has already left – as Alex Neil and his recruitment team have completely rebuilt the first team squad. Three came in on deadline day: Lynden Gooch, Sead Hakšabanović and Junior Tchamadeu.

It speaks volumes that the side that will line up against Preston North End in the Championship this afternoon will probably feature only two or three players who Stoke owned last season, plus another one or two who were with the club on loan.

The word ‘reset’ has been used quite regularly but this has beenmore than switching it off and switching it back on again. Everything has been dismantled and put together again to Neil’s spec, a chance that few managers will ever have at this level.

RECAP: All the ins, outs, twists and turns on transfer deadline day at Stoke City

If it is wise to only really judge a transfer window in hindsight, it is clear that the Stoke City of 2023/24 is taller, faster, stronger than the one it has usurped. There is solid experience and exciting potential, craft and graft.

The painful stripping back and management of financial fair play constraints – plus the £15m sale of Harry Souttar in January – had created a huge opportunity yet remarkably, heading into the final fortnight of the window Stoke were in profit thanks to the sale of Jacob Brown for an undisclosed fee believed to be about £4m.

Neil had still wanted to add a forward in the final few days but bids were rejected for Brandon Thomas-Asante from West Brom and FFP isn’t over so Stoke will still walk away from deals too. Ben Davies was on the agenda too on deadline day.

It seems likely now that Neil will look at the free agent market to fill his centre-half stable, particularly after sanctioning the loan exits of youngsters David Okagbue and Matty Baker.

After such a chain-signing couple of months, it’s probably best to ease off with just one more over the next week or so.

Summer signings

Enda Stevens – Sheffield United, free

Ben Pearson – Bournemouth, undisclosed

Andre Vidigal – Maritimo, undisclosed

Daniel Johnson – Preston, free

Ryan Mmaee – Ferencvaros, undisclosed

Wesley Moraes – Aston Villa, undisclosed

Michael Rose – Coventry, free

Chiquinho – Wolves, loan

Ki-Jana Hoever – Wolves, loan

Mark Travers – Bournemouth, loan

Luke McNally – Burnley, loan

Nikola Jojic – Mladost Lucani, undisclosed

Mehdi Leris – Sampdoria, undisclosed

Wouter Burger – FC Basel, undisclosed

Bae Junho – Daejeon Hana Citizen, undisclosed

Lynden Gooch – Sunderland, undisclosed

Sead Hakšabanović – Celtic, loan

Junior Tchamadeu – Colchester United, undisclosed

Summer departures

Morgan Fox – QPR, free

Douglas James-Taylor – Walsall, free

Nick Powell – Stockport, free

Sam Clucas – Released

Demeaco Duhaney – Released

Aden Flint – Mansfield, free

Phil Jagielka – Released

Mario Vrancic – FK Sarajevo

Tashan Oakley-Boothe – Released

Connor Taylor – Bristol Rovers, undisclosed

Jacob Brown – Luton, undisclosed

Chiquinho – Wolves return

Josh Tymon – Swansea, undisclosed

Out on loan

Tom Edwards – Huddersfield

Tommy Simkin – Solihull Moors

Sonny Singh – Hereford

Alfie Brooks – Colwyn Bay