How Everton feel about signing Stoke City star Sorba Thomas | OneFootball

Stoke City winger Sorba Thomas has emerged as a wanted man ahead of this summer's transfer window

Stoke City are set to conclude the 2025/26 Championship campaign with yet another uninspiring mid-table finish, despite initially threatening to shake up the promotion picture.

The Potters had found themselves positioned in 3rd place after the opening 10 games and were beginning to represent serious promotion contenders under Mark Robins, although that form ultimately proved unsustainable as City slipped down the league table.

Indeed, Stoke have won just two of their last 13 league games to surrender any remaining ambitions of a potential play-off push, with inconsistency throughout large parts of the season ultimately defining the Staffordshire outfit's campaign.

They are, of course, some way clear of any relegation danger after dodging the drop last time out, although supporters will be frustrated that a top-six surge could not be sustained deeper into this term.

Much work, then, is required in the summer if Stoke are to establish any promotion credentials next time around, and whether Sorba Thomas is retained could go some way to deciding what sort of season the Potters will enjoy in 2026/27.

Everton eyeing Stoke City, Sorba Thomas transfer deal

Thomas has been a rare source of consistency and creativity at the Bet 365 Stadium following his switch from Huddersfield Town last summer, with the versatile wide-man surfacing among the most productive attacking forces throughout the Championship.

The talented 27-year-old has provided the second-highest cumulative return for goals and assists in the division by scoring 10 and laying on a further nine from 38 outings, all of which have been starts.

Therefore, it should perhaps arrive as little surprise that interest in acquiring Thomas' signature is reportedly beginning to intensify as we edge ever closer to the summer transfer window - and Everton are the latest club said to be chasing a deal.

As reported on Monday evening by the Daily Mail, Everton are among the clubs monitoring Thomas after receiving positive feedback on the 23-cap Welsh international from scouts who have watched him in action.

It's unclear which other clubs are currently holding an interest, although Bournemouth were linked with Thomas back in January following Antoine Semenyo's high-profile departure to Manchester City and it appears that Everton can expect to face competition heading into the summer.

Thomas has maintained his strong form in the season's latter stages, with the winger providing one goal and three assists in his last five outings amid a straight red card during Stoke's 2-0 defeat at Swansea City earlier this month.

Stoke City must keep Sorba Thomas at all costs as Everton lurk

Stoke will doubtless find themselves sweating over this latest development, having leaned ever-heavily on the winger's one-v-one quality, creative ability, dynamism and consistency in a campaign which swiftly fizzled out in the Potteries.

There aren't many players at Championship level who are more important at a single club than Thomas is at Stoke, and his output in an inconsistent mid-table side means it's little wonder that interest is being earned from higher up the footballing pyramid.

If Stoke are serious about competing for a return to the Premier League next season, then, retaining the ex-Huddersfield starlet's signature is integral and could just decide such fortunes for Robins' side.

Once the summer rolls around, Thomas will have two years remaining on the three-year contract he signed to join from Huddersfield and Stoke may be wary of the risk of potentially being backed into a corner once he enters the final year of that deal.

Right now, though, they need to be pulling out all the stops to prevent Thomas' head from being turned and fight to retain him for another season at least - but the Potters will also be concerned about any further interest the pacey attacker could attract at this summer's FIFA 2026 World Cup, should Wales get there starting with this Thursday's play-off semi-final fixture against Bosnia and Herzegovina.