Rory Delap started 34 league games for Stoke City last season

Stoke midfielder Rory Delap believes he will have to work even harder to keep his place in the team next season.

The Potters finished 11th in the Premier League and Delap told BBC Radio Stoke he expects boss Tony Pulis to add to his squad in the summer.

"It's going to cost money to improve, but the chairman hasn't let the manager down yet in that department," the 33-year-old said.

"You need competition to build and the hard work begins at the start of July."

The Republic of Ireland international continued: "Everyone's been desperate to get in the team and play, and whoever comes in is going to want to play, which can only be good for the club."

Stoke are preparing for their third consecutive season in the Premier League and Delap accepts that some of the players that have helped to establish the team in the top flight are likely to leave the club.

"The majority of the squad have been together for three or four years now," he added. "It's inevitable that players going to come in and players are going to leave, but that's part of football.

"It happens throughout your career, when you lose friends and they go to other clubs, but you've just got to get on with it whichever club you're at."

One thing very much in Delap's favour is his long, flat throw-in, which during his time at the club has developed into one of Stoke's most potent attacking weapons - and one which Pulis has insisted will remain very much part of the Potters' armoury.

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