Mark Robins faces a significant challenge in his first summer transfer window as Stoke City manager, with a lot of work to be done. The early days of the close season have already seen the club making moves, laying the foundation for what promises to be a busy summer. A number of players have already left, with five loan players returning to their parent clubs, and four senior players being released. In contrast, three players have been secured for the future, signing new deals beyond this summer, and another has been offered a contract extension.
More departures are expected in the coming weeks, with players like Ryan Mmaee, Andre Vidigal, and Niall Ennis likely to move on. It wouldn’t be surprising if other players, such as Nikola Jojic, fail to feature in Robins’ plans for the 2025/26 season. There is also the possibility of player sales, as Stoke may look to generate funds if needed. Despite these changes, the club’s current squad is still relatively strong, with the players who remain having seen significant action during the previous campaign, especially when the squad was at full health.
So far, only centre-back Ashley Phillips, who was on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, has departed from the group of players who were considered automatic starters under Robins. As it stands, 21 players who have started a league game for Stoke remain on the books, along with 13 young players who have at least made it into the matchday squad. While some of these players will likely leave, the situation is far different from two years ago, when Stoke faced a near-complete rebuild with minimal players retained.
For Robins, along with Jon Walters and Ian Torrance, the challenge will not be simply replacing players one-for-one, but rather upgrading squad members to become starting players. Here’s a look at the players who have left and those currently on the books:
Players Who Have Left:
- Ashley Phillips
- Andrew Moran
- Lewis Koumas
- Ali Al-Hamadi
- Josh Wilson Esbrand
- Enda Stevens
- Lynden Gooch
- Jordan Thompson
- Michael Rose
Players Who Have Started a League Game for Stoke:
- Goalkeepers: Viktor Johansson, Jack Bonham, Tommy Simkin
- Defenders: Junior Tchamadeu, Eric Bocat, Ben Gibson, Ben Wilmot
- Midfielders: Ben Pearson, Wouter Burger, Lewis Baker, Tatsuki Seko, Sol Sidibe, Bosun Lawal
- Forwards: Million Manhoef, Bae Junho, Sam Gallagher, Nathan Lowe, Ryan Mmaee, Andre Vidigal, Niall Ennis (plus Emre Tezgel, contract offered)
Other Players Who Have Been in the First Team Squad:
- Freddie Anderson
- Chinonso Chibueze
- Ruben Curley
- Jaden Dixon
- Favour Fawunmi
- Frank Fielding
- Laurence Giani
- Jake Griffin
- Jack Griffiths
- Keke Jeffers
- Darius Lipsiuc
- Will Smith
- Kieron Willox
With this foundation in place, Robins will now focus on building a squad that is capable of pushing for greater success in the upcoming season.
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