Stoke City must seal new agreement for £20k-a-week star - Mark Robins can't let him escape the club | OneFootball

Ben Wilmot is out of contract at the end of the 2025/26 season, though Stoke have an option to extend the deal for a further year.

Stoke City have begun the new Championship season on fire, winning four of their opening five league matches, culminating in their best start to a league season in 27 years.

An opening day victory over Derby County, where the Potters left it late, was followed by a 3-0 demolition away to crisis-club Sheffield Wednesday and then a 2-1 away victory over newly-relegated Southampton, despite Stoke playing much of the second half with 10 men.

A 1-0 defeat at home to West Brom just before the international break was followed up with an impressive 1-0 home win over Birmingham City, leaving the Potters second in the Championship table.

Under former Coventry City boss Mark Robins, Stoke have been consistent in their squad selection, with the back five, including goalkeeper Victor Johansson, going unchanged for each of those fixtures.

New signing Aaron Cresswell has seamlessly slotted in at left-back following his release from West Ham, with Junior Tchamadeu on the other side, sandwiching the pair of Bosun Lawal and Wilmot in the middle, who have made those positions their own with summer signing Maxi Talovierov and returning Tottenham loanee Ash Phillips having to settle for the bench right now.

Each player has started in all five of Stoke's league fixtures so far, with Wilmot donning the captain's armband in the absence of Ben Gibson.

Stoke City would be wise to offer Ben Wilmot a fresh contract ASAP

Wilmot's current deal in Staffordshire is set to expire at the end of this season, although the Potters do have the option to extend his deal by a year if they so please.

The 25-year-old has been an almost ever-present figure in the Potters' defence ever since his arrival from Watford in the summer of 2021, having made 157 appearances to date for the club across all competitions, scoring eight times and assisting a further six.

The Englishman has predominantly played as a centre-back during his time with the club, his favoured position; however, he has covered at right-back on occasion.

Wilmot is Stoke's longest-serving current player in the squad, and has seen an array of changes at the club during his time at the bet365 Stadium.

Since he arrived in 2021, Stoke have signed over 70 players either permanently or on loan and have played under five different permanent managers: Michael O'Neill, Alex Neil, Steven Schumacher, Narcis Pelach and current boss Robins.

In what has been a turbulent half-decade for the Potters, Wilmot has remained a consistent figure in the squad, and the club would be wise to tie him down to another long-term contract before too long.

Speaking to StokeonTrentLive, Wilmot said: "Officially [up next summer] and then I have another option in the club's favour for another year.

"I've not heard anything yet, but it's not up to me, so we'll see what what upstairs do later on."

Ben Wimot is thriving in a surprise captaincy role for Stoke - they must act soon

Ben Gibson is technically Stoke's current captain, although the 32-year-old is yet to make a league appearance this season, meaning that Wilmot has taken the mantle of captaincy in that period.

Although this captaincy decision wasn't something foreseen by Wilmot, as he told StokeonTrentLive: "It was [out of the blue]. I think the first time I got it was at Crewe, and obviously Vik had been captain last year whenever Gibo [Ben Gibson] wasn't playing - and Vik wasn't playing in that game.

"So the manager gave it to me, so I just thought 'OK, nice, but once Vik's back in, he'll get it'. And then he just gave it to me again and whoever it was, Burnley, maybe in the next game.

"Then when the season started, he just said in the team meeting that Gibo's club captain and if he's not playing, then I'll be captain.

"He never said anything to me personally, but I don't think he needs to. I know what what the role consists of and what I need to do anyway, so I'm just honoured."

Wilmot has so far thrived in this new role, having formed an excellent partnership alongside Lawal in the heart of defence.

Stoke fans will be hoping for more of the same from the Englishman, who continues to keep both Ash Phillips and Makysm Talovierov on the bench, despite the former having a very good season on loan at the bet365 Stadium in 2024-25

The Potters travel to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, where they will be hoping to continue their run of good form with another victory.

Should Wilmot remain consistent in his displays, there is a good chance he could earn a new deal in Staffordshire before too long.