How Ash Phillips feels about leaving Spurs to join Stoke City permanently | OneFootball

Ashley Phillips has admitted that he would 'love' to join Stoke City once again in a potential summer return

Stoke City were one of the Championship's fastest sides out of the blocks at the beginning of the campaign and looked well-placed for a first top-six finish since relegation from the Premier League in 2018, but a big drop-off in form has seen them spiral down the table as of late.

At the moment, it's been a season of two halves for Stoke, who, under the guidance of former Coventry City boss Mark Robins, have seen their chances of a play-off place take a drastic hit.

The Potters barely scraped survival last season, and heading into this campaign, they were determined not to make the same mistakes again.

The likes of Sorba Thomas, Tomas Rigo, Lamine Cisse, and Maksym Talovierov all made the move to the Potteries on permanent deals, who they will look to develop before selling on for a profit, whilst bolstering their chances of promotion to the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Divin Mubama joined on loan from Manchester City in the summer, whilst Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Milan Smit, and Gavin Bazunu also joined on loan in January.

Their defence has been their standout area this season, with each of Ben Wilmot, Aaron Cresswell, and Bosun Lawal contributing greatly to their excellent record.

However, one man has arguably shone brighter than the rest, and he has just dropped a claim that is bound to excite Potters supporters.

Ashley Phillips reveals he would 'love' to stay at Stoke City as the defender paves the way for a potential permanent switch

Ashley Phillips is enjoying his second spell on loan with Stoke on loan from Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur.

The young defender, who came through the ranks at Blackburn Rovers, joined Spurs for just £3 million in the summer of 2023 and has spent almost the entirety of his time at the club out on loan, first with Plymouth Argyle and then with Stoke.

Phillips made 35 Championship appearances on loan with the Potters last season, and despite their league finish, angled for a return to the club, where he has been an almost ever-present in the heart of defence since his return.

A key cog of the current best defence in the second tier, Phillips has openly stated his desire to return to Stoke once more, telling StokeOnTrentLive, "I’d love to [return]. It’s a fantastic club but we’ve got to see how the season finishes and then go from there for next year.

"I love being here, it’s a fantastic club. I’m very thankful for how they’ve developed me as a player. I feel like I owe everything to Stoke and that’s why I’ve been so keen to achieve great things this season, which I’m still positive about.

"I forget sometimes I’m a loan player too. It feels like I’ve been here forever to be fair. It’s a great club. The fans are great, the staff are great. I’m loving my time here."

Indeed, the love from the player towards the fans is certainly reciprocated, with many Potters fans supporting the notion of a permanent return for the defender in the summer.

Although Stoke have dipped beneath their early-season heights, they still remain in contention for a place in the top-six, and should they go on to achieve that, then the Spurs loanee will have had a massive role to play in the success.

Mark Robins must try to sign Ashley Phillips on a permanent deal this summer for Stoke City, though they face an uphill task to secure his signature

Stoke have been one of many clubs that have been forced to tread carefully not to break profit and sustainability rules this season, limiting their spending well beneath what they are capable of.

With the rules due to be reset and revamped upon the completion of this campaign, they should be allowed to spend more in the summer, though, of course, within the limits.

This gives them a great boost in terms of their pursuit of Phillips, though, given Spurs' current situation in the Premier League, there is a chance they may not want to let him go, with relegation a genuine possibility.

If they are indeed relegated, it would be a cataclysmic disaster for the club, especially financially speaking, and with Phillips unlikely to collect a big fee, they may be forced to keep him.

However, if they stay up, a permanent move could be on the cards, but with his deal not set to expire until the summer of 2028, he still won't come cheap, as Spurs will undoubtedly look to bank a profit on the 20-year-old.

Whatever the case, Stoke must look to bring Phillips back for a third spell by any means necessary, with a permanent move obviously more preferable for both player and club.