With just a week to go before Stoke City kick-off their 2025/26 Championship campaign, we have conducted our own fans’ forum on the Potters’ prospects, their summer transfer business… and what still needs to be done to see progress next term.
By and large, Stoke have been lauded for summer deals that have seen the likes of Sorba Thomas, Maksym Talovierov and Robert Bozenik arrive at the club. But is it enough?
And how will Mark Robins’ new-look team fare once the action begins at 3pm on Saturday, August 9, when Derby County are the visitors to the bet365 Stadium?
Rob Doolan: 7/10 for me so far. I like that we seem to be addressing actual problem areas, where previous windows were more scattershot. Thomas and Talovierov improve us and hopefully Bozenik will too. Brilliant to get Ashley Phillips back on another year’s loan as well.
Richard James: Hard to judge any window until the end but I think the signs so far are very encouraging. We’ve signed some players who we know are ready to deal with all the Championship throws your way. We’ve also added some much needed strength and power and hopefully a couple of lads who can find the net. So far I’d score the window as a promising 7 out of 10 with hopefully more to come.
Christopher Drosdzowski: It has been encouraging so far. Stoke City looked tremulous at the back all last season, so to have both young and experienced reinforcements there is reassuring, as is some first-teamers in other areas. I’d give the recruitment team a B so far, which hopefully they will push up to an A by the end of the month.
Jon Owen: 7 out of 10. I’ve been generally pleased that we are targeting players who can give us a physical edge in games. Ashley Phillips was our best outfield player last season so to get him back is a real boost, and hopefully he can build a good partnership with Maksym Talovierov. Having two good centre backs playing week in, week out, would be a huge boost. Aaron Cresswell was excellent for West Ham last season and Sorba Thomas should really help out wide. Both are known for decent set pieces too, something we’ve been poor at for years.
2/ Where does Mark Robins still need reinforcements?
Rob Doolan: I’m still not entirely convinced about central midfield, especially given question marks over the fitness of Lawal and Pearson. Steven Nzonzi is probably the finest player I’ve ever seen play for the club, but he’s 36 and we can’t expect him to be bossing games like it’s 2014. Another wide player would be useful too, and being greedy, potentially some competition for Junior Tchamadeu at right back.
Richard James: We need cover at right back desperately as we are an injury to Junior away from asking Ben Wilmot to fill in again. We need what would perhaps be our marquee signing in the middle of the park. That player needs to be our focal point with ability, strength and power to be able to drag us through games and pop up with important goals. Talking of goals, we also need a really rapid winger, and if I was being greedy I’d like another striker as it doesn’t appear we can expect many outings from Sam Gallagher.
Christopher Drosdzowski: Given that Wouter Burger was instrumental to us staying in the division in the second half of the season it is pivotal he is replaced. Talk of Steven Nzonzi is pleasing from both a technical and nostalgic point of view, but a long term solution is needed in the centre of the park, which must be top of the list.
Jon Owen: With Wouter Burger and Jordan Thompson leaving, and Sol Sidibe looking likely to follow them out of the door, the midfield looks light. I expect us to remedy this before the end of the window. I’m slightly concerned there’s still a lack of goals in the squad too, but again, hopefully this is something we can sort. Our bench last season had a real lack of genuine game-changing options which I’m hoping won’t be a problem this season.
3/ Who do you rate as Stoke’s top recruit so far?
Rob Doolan: Bozenik is the one I’m excited about. A number of decent clubs (and Hull) have looked at him in the past. After years of trying to awkwardly retrofit poachers into target men, we might finally have someone capable of leading the line on his own.
Richard James: Up to now we’ve not really seen much of the new lads for various reasons, but based on what I’ve seen it appears Sorba Thomas will be a key player for us. He just looks a ready made player with pace, power and ability. Factor in his dead ball prowess and I think he could be a fans’ favourite.
Christopher Drosdzowski: A bit of a cop-out, but it’s a tie between Maksym Talovierov and Ashley Phillips. The latter is a real coup, given other clubs were interested and how he improved during last season. The Ukrainian looked a very solid defender, which is precisely what was requisite in that position, as aforementioned.
Jon Owen: Ashley Phillips as we know how good he was in a poor team last season.
4/ Has anyone been let go or sold who should have been kept?
Rob Doolan: I don’t think so. I rated Jordan Thompson more than many Stokies, but I think his race was pretty much run here, likewise Lynden Gooch. Wouter Burger clearly wanted out and his sale has freed us up to strengthen elsewhere. It’s a shame we won’t see Sol Sidibe realise his potential in a Stoke shirt but it’s a good move for the player and again probably gives us more much-needed room for manoeuvre in the market.
Richard James: So far all of the outgoings have pretty much made sense. Hopefully we reinvest the Burger money for a couple of players who are really suited or the rigours of the league. We’ve still got some dead wood to move on but we are getting there.
Christopher Drosdzowski: I was disappointed to see Burger leave, but can’t begrudge him the opportunity, and if the fee was anywhere near the mooted £7m that’s difficult to reject.
Jon Owen: At the time it was announced I was disappointed with Burger’s departure, but depending on who the replacement is I don’t think he’ll be missed. Our midfield was often overrun last season and he didn’t impact games enough for me. It’ll be interesting to see if Bosun Lawal can prove he’s a worthy replacement.
5/ Where do you see Stoke finishing the new season?
Rob Doolan: I don’t see us troubling the upper reaches of the league, for all that our business has been promising. This is (yet another) serious rebuild job and stability has to be the watchword. Anything above about 14th would constitute progress, realistically.
Richard James: You’re always blindly optimistic at the start of a season, but deep down there won’t be many Stokies who really believed a good season is ahead of us. This summer has felt very different to me, and in the main that is down to the manager, who I have so much belief in. He’s not going to fix the mess of his predecessors straight away but his calm approach and knowledge of what is required will see us head up the table. I’m boldly predicting 12th on that basis.
Christopher Drosdzowski: I think we are all keeping our fingers crossed that 2024/25 was a nadir, it surely cannot get any worse? If Stoke City do manage to get a good Championship quality central midfielder in, and perhaps another attacking player, with Robins at the helm you’d like to think we should be pushing for the top 10.
Jon Owen: 12th, which after the last seven or eight years, would feel like a big improvement.
6/ Do you believe the club is moving in the right direction?
Rob Doolan: Possibly. It’s too early to say. Mark Robins has done a decent enough job so far and seems to have identified the key weaknesses to address, but after the Narcis Pelach debacle we do seem to have put all our eggs back in the manager-god model, and the problem with that is it means you need another complete overhaul and abrupt change of direction if and when that manager leaves for whatever reason. Until there is some actual vision from the owners or whoever is running the football side of the club about what they actually want Stoke City to be, I don’t see a huge amount changing unfortunately.
Richard James: I think the partnership between the Coates family, Jon Walters and Mark Robins has the potential to have a really positive effect on the club from here on in as that link up just feels right (certainly more so than with recent coaches and managers).
Christopher Drosdzowski: Whilst a few rotten apples remain from the innumerable misjudgements from many a manager on the merry-go-round in recent years, Mark Robins does seem to be changing the culture of the club. Robins has a sound track record and I enjoy listening to his interviews. I think he will progress us forward.
Jon Owen: With the business so far, I’d say yes. Mark Robins knows this league and knows what’s required to do well in it. A season of steady improvement would be very welcome.
Richard James: Opening-day fixtures are a bit of a lottery, and while we’ve seen some good passages of play we haven’t managed to click in front of goal. It would be great to start with a win though, so I’m going 2-1 to the Potters with Thomas and Baker to score.
Christopher Drosdzowski: It’s quite the coincidence we finished last season at Pride Park and start this one playing Derby County at home. A nice momentum-starting 2-0 win for the Potters.
Jon Owen: I’ll be positive here and get off the fence. A nervy 2-1 win for the Potters.
8/ New club crest or old? What is your preference and why
Rob Doolan: At the risk of sounding miserable, I really don’t care – as long as it says the club’s name somewhere and nobody’s snuck in a lewd drawing in the background, either’s absolutely fine.
Richard James: I’d go with the City of Stoke-on-Trent crest we have used on the new and very popular retro away top. It’s always been my favourite from my years supporting the club and if it was left to me that would be the one to go for. The current badge never really hit the spot in my opinion, and with the option we’ve been given to replace it, I think I’d just go with something more traditional looking and use the crest we see all over our city.
Christopher Drosdzowski: Unquestionably the new badge. I started attending Stoke games regularly in the mid-to-late 1980s, so have a lot of fondness for the crest on the Umbro, Admiral and Matchwinner shirts. I really like how the new design not only incorporates the Staffordshire knot and kiln, but also our full name and 1863. No blue please.
Jon Owen: The new one looks far more interesting and classy. The current one is rather underwhelming. So yeah, the new one please.
