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The exit of Ki-Jana Hoever has opened up a vacancy at right-back and Junior Tchamadeu is braced to seize the moment

Junior Tchamadeu is ready to stake his claim to be the regular starter at right-back for Stoke City as he heads into his first full season at the club.

Tchamadeu, now aged 20, joined Stoke from Colchester United late on deadline day last summer and had to share the shirt with loanee Ki-Jana Hoever and Lynden Gooch over the following few months, with Hoever eventually emerging as first choice.

Hoever has returned to parent club Wolves now and Tchamadeu is getting the opportunity in pre-season to prove to Steven Schumacher that he should get the nod when the Championship kicks back in on August 10.

And the Cameroon international is relishing the physical work that has been the order of the day in the first three weeks back, including this one in Cork, to get up to top gear and play with the intensity that Steven Schumacher wants from his full-backs.

“It’s something that I embrace, I know my athleticism can be my strength,” he said.

“From when the gaffer first came in, he said how important full-backs are for him and it’s good to know that. Full-backs are involved in the game for his team and that’s what we want to happen, to be involved in the game as much as we can, to get forward. I’m looking forward to playing my part in that as well.”