Stoke boss Paul Lambert is playing hardball with players expecting to leave following the club's relegation from the Premier League.

"Lads are under contract," Lambert said. It's not as if you can just walk out here and throw your toys out the pram and think 'I'm going to go.' You might not be going anywhere.

"If the club keeps the core of the team and adds to it, adds guys that want to be here, the right type of player, the right type of mentality, the right character, then there's a great chance this club will bounce straight back up."