The 2015–16 season was Stoke City's eighth season in the Premier League and the 60th in the top tier of English football. After finishing ninth in 2014–15 for a second season running, Mark Hughes made a number of alterations to his squad in preparation for the 2015–16 campaign. Leaving the club were the long-serving trio of Asmir Begović, Robert Huth and Steven N'Zonzi with Stoke receiving their record transfer fee in the process. With the money available Hughes broke Stoke's transfer record paying Inter Milan £12 million for Swiss winger Xherdan Shaqiri. He brought in Spanish striker Joselu for £5.75 million and Dutch midfielder Ibrahim Afellay. Also arriving at the Britannia Stadium were Shay Given, Jakob Haugaard, Glen Johnson and Marco van Ginkel.