Erik Pieters Wants to 'Keep Options Open' as Stoke City Defender's Loan at Amiens Comes to an End

Stoke City's loaned out defender Erik Pieters has remained tight-lipped over his future, as his temporary deal at Ligue 1 club Amiens approaches its end.

The left-back was sent out on loan shortly after the arrival of Potters boss Nathan Jones in January. He has impressed during his time in France and has secured himself a regular first-team spot at the French club.

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With this deal coming to an end, the Dutch defender has been questioned on where his future lies. As quoted by Sport Witness, Pieters told L'Equipe: "I want to keep my options open. I want to show what I’m worth."

Reports suggest that loan club Amiens have a two year deal on the table ready for the left-back, but it appears that the 30-year-old may be waiting it out for a better offer.

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Having impressed during his spell in France, Pieters has supposedly attracted interest from other French clubs and even in his home country of the Netherlands. As a result, Stoke find themselves in a tricky situation with regards to the Dutchman's future.

The Amiens loanee is a quality player for sure, but Stoke would probably welcome the opportunity to significantly reduce their wage bill by offloading Pieters permanently. 

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However, the left-back's parent club are still picking up the majority of his wages, despite his loan move to France. Any deal to transfer Pieters on a permanent basis would require another club to match the wages Stoke are paying, or for Pieters to take a significant pay cut - two scenarios which seem unlikely.

With the Dutchman's current deal at Stoke expiring in the summer of 2020, the Potters will face one more season with the defender on their books if they don't find any suitors this summer.