Stoke Midfielder Prepared to Take Pay Cut to Push Through Return to Former Club This Summer

Stoke City midfielder Badou Ndiaye has informed the club that he wants to leave this summer to rejoin Galatasaray, and he is even willing to take a pay cut to make it happen, according to reports. 

The 27-year-old may have only joined the Potters at the end of January for €16m but he has already been linked to a move back to the Turkish giants at the first time of following the club's relegation to the Championship. 

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According to Turkish outlet Milliyet, Galatasaray have convinced the Senegal international to push for a move despite informing him that he will earn less on his return - €2.75m-per-year in fact, a €750,000 decrease on his current pay packet with the Potters.

While the accuracy of the reports' paraphrasing remain questionable, Ndiaye reportedly told Stoke: “We are not going to play in the Premier League next season. So you are trying to lower the wages. Let me join Galatasaray. This could be a win-win situation for all parties involved.”

With Ndiaye prepared to make sacrifices to his earnings, talks between the two clubs are said to be progressing well as they continue in their attempts to reach a compromise as they remain separated by €1m in their negotiations over a loan fee. 

Despite only joining Stoke at the end of the winter transfer window, Ndiaye quickly became an ever present figure for the club in the middle of the park having featured in all 13 of their league games until the end of the season. 

Meanwhile, the Potters appear set to part ways with Xherdan Shaqiri over the coming days after talks progressed with Liverpool over the Switzerland international's permanent transfer.