Mark Robins outlines what Sorba Thomas, Maksym Talovierov and Divin Mubama will bring to Stoke City and why he is excited
Manager Mark Robins talks to his squad as Stoke City return for pre-season training.(Image: Phil Greig 2025)
Mark Robins has spoken of his excitement about Stoke City’s first three signings of the summer and the challenge ahead as he shapes his squad for the new season.
The Stoke manager has welcomed Wales winger Sorba Thomas from Huddersfield Town, Ukraine international centre-back Maksym Talovierov from Plymouth Argyle, and England youth striker Divin Mubama on loan from Manchester City, and says all three bring the right mix of quality, hunger and potential.
Robins, who was appointed on New Year’s Day and secured Stoke’s status in the Championship, knows there are challenges in terms of this stage of a rolling financial fair play cycle but he is enjoying with sporting director Jon Walters and head of recruitment Ian Torrance to put together a team that can haul the club in the right direction.
It is an interesting window in this division, with plenty of off-field drama and developing narratives, but he hopes that Stoke’s summer work will result in clear, visible progress.
“On the back of last season and the end of the season, or January to the end of the season, when we improved over time,” he said in a chat with Radio Stoke and the Sentinel.
“In a lot of the games some of the football was good and I was pleased with a lot of the elements of it but clearly I want things to be better, we all want things to be better moving forward, and that is something we have to do incrementally because of the circumstances that everyone knows about and we’re not going to talk about.
“It’s exciting. It’s exciting because we have a challenge in front of us that is not inconsiderable. There are teams who are having a right go in terms of the spend. We know exactly where we sit in that but equally I know what we would like to do and what we are trying to do and what people would expect us to be doing, we’re doing.
“I think it’s good. I think the signings we’ve made so far are really good signings for the club and will be good for us both in the here and now and into the future. They’re good level, good quality. I’m delighted to get them.
“Maxi has come in from Plymouth, a Ukrainian international who wears his heart on his sleeve. He is a really, really talented player and can be as good as he wants to be really because he’s got all the attributes. I’m looking forward to working with him and it’s started already. He’s a really good athlete, as is Divin Mubama, who has come in from Man City on loan.
“Divin is another one who I’m really looking forward to seeing because he’s got everything in his locker as well, a young player who hasn’t had the exposure yet, that experience yet, but I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do on this stage in a Stoke City shirt.
“Sorba was the first signing and we got it done early, which was great. He’s going to be a great addition to us as well.
“This isn’t to diminish the players we had last season because they were really good players, to be fair, and we know what we have to do and the work we have to do to improve tangibly, for everybody to see. That’s the challenge and that’s what excites everyone.”
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