Mark Robins delivers verdict on Stoke City first summer signing
Sorba Thomas is the first permanent signing for Stoke City since Mark Robins became manager
Mark Robins believes that Stoke City have pulled off “a great bit of business” to bring in Sorba Thomas.
Thomas, aged 26, became the club’s first signing of the summer and first permanent signing since Mark Robins was appointed manager when he joined from Huddersfield Town earlier this month.
Robins had previously tried to sign Thomas for Coventry while Stoke had tried to sign him last summer – when the deal would have been too expensive – and in January, when it proved too complicated.
Now the winger will join up with his teammates after this week, having been given a break due to his close-season international commitments with Wales.
“We’ve managed to bring in Sorba Thomas really early, which I’m delighted with,” said Robins.
“He’s been a target for the club for some while, even before I came in, so it’s a great bit of business for us and I’m looking forward to working with him.
“James Rowberry [assistant manager] has worked with him before with Wales and I’ve seen a lot of him for both Boreham Wood and Huddersfield Town.
“He’s young, still hungry and wants to improve all the time. He crosses the ball brilliantly, his set play delivery is outstanding and he’s got a really high work ethic.”
Robins brought in two loan players in January and has since seen five loan players return to their parent clubs, released four players and sanctioned Niall Ennia’s transfer to Blackpool.
It has helped create space in the budget and changing room for incomings, with six weeks until the season starts and more than two months until deadline day.
Robins said: “Now it’s time to crack on because we’ve still got a lot of work to do. The fresh start in pre-season is always good because that’s where you get your work done. Clearly we didn’t have that last season with arriving on New Year’s Day.
“There’s work going on to get the right players in and we will strengthen in the coming weeks. That’s important so we can ensure they’re settled in the surroundings, but it’s a family club, with a really good feel around the place and we’ve certainly got the infrastructure to be able to support that process and get them settled really quickly.”
The Stoke City wonderkid that could save the Potters millions
Stoke City have struggled with misfiring strikers, but could see their prayers answered without needing to dip into the transfer market.
While multiple front-line attacking options have faltered for the Potters in recent times, there could be light at the end of the tunnel with highly-rated Emre Tezgel already on the books.
Emre Tezgel signing new contract a sign of intent
While reports from TEAMtalk revealed that Premier League newbies Leeds United were interested in the prodigy, Tezgel opted to remain in Stoke.
It was rumoured that several clubs were seeking to sign the Potters academy graduate, who is only 19 years old, including from Turkey where he has family ties through his father.
However, despite the vast interest from elsewhere, Tezgel remained at the Stoke he called “my club” and the “right place” for him to develop after penning a new two-year deal.
Aged just 16, Tezgel became the Potters’ youngest ever first-team player, debuting against Leyton Orient in the Emirates FA Cup.
The former MK Dons loanee has featured regularly for Stoke’s under-18 and under-21s team, while also training with the first-team.
City struggled to an 18th-placed finish in the 2024/25 Sky Bet Championship, only avoiding relegation by two points. Relegated duo Plymouth Argyle and Cardiff City, as well as draw-specialists Preston North End, were the only teams who won less games than Stoke’s 12 across the league campaign.
Goalscoring was a thorn in their side, with Luton Town equalising their measly tally of 45 goals, and only Hull City’s 44 having a worse record than theirs in the second-tier.
Injury luck and an opportunity is all Stoke City youngster needs
Tezgel could be the answer to Stoke’s issues in front of goal, in the process saving the club from having to potentially fork out millions to find a worthy replacement for their struggling front-line.
Former Blackburn Rovers attacker Sam Gallagher managed just three goals, while Ali Al-Hamadi netted only twice after he joined from Premier League Ipswich Town for the second half of the campaign.
Nathan Lowe was recalled from his loan at League Two Walsall in January, and after scoring 18 times for the promotion-chasers only found the back of the net once back at Stoke.
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