1. FC Köln, AS Monaco, and FC Burnley are interested in Eric-Junior Bocat, a 27-year-old French and Senegalese left-back from Stoke City. A transfer to Köln would address a need in their squad, as they currently have only one professional player for that position. It is reported that Monaco, one of the interested clubs, has already reached an agreement with an alternative in Jordy Makengo from SC Freiburg. Bocat's contract with the English second-tier club runs until 2028. He joined Stoke City from Sint-Truiden in July 2024 for a fee of €1.2 million. His current market value is listed by Transfermarkt as €2.20m. It is reported that in January 2026, Stoke City rejected a loan offer from Standard Liège that included a €1.6 million purchase option.