Stoke City Football Club is preparing for the new season in the English Championship, and fans are eagerly awaiting to see if the team will finally overcome its reputation as a mid-table side and compete for promotion to the Premier League.
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Last season's results: the fight for survival
The team finished the championship in 18th place, with only 12 wins, 15 draws and 19 defeats. The total number of goals scored was 45, which indicates problems in attack, despite the bright individual performances of some players. Tom Cannon stood out in particular, becoming the team's top scorer with 10 goals.
The key moment of the season was the change of coaches. Starting under Steven Schumacher, the team unexpectedly fired him after only five games. He was replaced by Spaniard Narcissus Pelach, but his tenure was short-lived, with only three wins in 19 games. In January 2025, Mark Robins took over as manager and managed to stabilise the team's performance and secure their place in the league thanks to a draw with Derby County in the last round (0-0).
Transfer activity: focus on youth
The summer of 2025 was a period of active work on the transfer market for Stoke City. The club focused on young and promising players to renew the squad and add energy. One of the key acquisitions was Ukrainian defender Maxim Talovierov from Plymouth, who has already declared his ambitions to become a leader in defence. Sorb Thomas, a winger who previously played for Huddersfield and proved himself in the Welsh national team by scoring a goal in a match against Belgium, also returned to the team.
In addition, Stoke City is showing interest in midfielder Habib Keita from French club Clermont Foot. The 23-year-old player could strengthen the midfield, where the team lacked creativity last season. Other new signings include Swedish goalkeeper Viktor Johansson, defender Ben Gibson and striker Sam Gallagher.
However, the departure of key midfielders Lewis Baker, Daniel Johnson and Josh Laurent on transfer deadline day has raised questions among fans. These players were an important part of the team, and their replacement, for example, by Japanese midfielder Tatsuki Seko, remains in question.
New coach: hopes pinned on Mark Robins
The appointment of Mark Robins has been one of the most talked-about events of the off-season. The former Coventry City coach is known for his ability to build stable teams capable of competing in the Championship. His arrival in January 2025 has already helped Stoke City avoid relegation, and now he is expected to deliver a significant improvement. Robins prefers a flexible style of play with an emphasis on quick counterattacks and solid defence, which could be ideal for the current squad.
One of Robins' tasks will be to unlock the potential of young players such as Million Manhoff, who scored the decisive goal in last season's match against Plymouth and showed himself to be a promising winger. The coach must also improve communication between the lines to avoid a repeat of last year's failures, such as the 0-3 defeat to Watford or the 1-3 defeat to Hull City.