Mark Robins must love avoiding major Stoke City transfer blunder | OneFootball

Stoke City reportedly considered selling Sam Gallagher in the summer, but have since been rewarded in their decision to keep the striker

Stoke City sit in seventh place in the Championship table heading into the first international break of the season, as Mark Robins brushes aside a poor start to the campaign with an excellent run of form.

Defeats to Swansea City, Southampton, and Wolverhampton Wanderers to begin the 2026/27 Championship campaign piled the pressure on former Coventry City boss Robins.

With the sale of star player Sorba Thomas confirmed on deadline day, it appeared as though things could go from bad to worse for the Potters, but after switching formations, a run of four wins and one draw prior to the international break has seen the North Staffordshire outfit launch into play-off contention.

In this run, Stoke have been scoring some excellent goals, including two from 31-year-old striker Sam Gallagher, who may well not have been at the club beyond the summer had things panned out differently.

Stoke City considered selling Sam Gallagher in the summer

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According to Alan Nixon’s Patreon, Stoke considered selling Gallagher in the summer, willing to part ways with the forward for virtually nothing in an attempt to get his wages off the books.

The Potters have just completed the £4.8 million addition of Dutch striker Milan Smit after his obligation-to-buy clause was met, and with Nathan Lowe, Emre Tezgel, and Robert Bozenik also at the club, Gallagher’s future looked bleak.

However, Smit, Lowe, and Tezgel would each be loaned out for the season, as Gallagher remained in the Potteries, and even despite the addition of George Hirst for a potential £10 million, Gallagher stayed, which, initially, was a surprise to see for many.

Sam Gallagher has struggled with injuries since joining Stoke City

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Since joining Stoke in the summer of 2024 from Blackburn Rovers for around £1.5 million, Gallagher has consistently struggled with injuries, missing more games than he was available for across his first two years at the club.

The 31-year-old made 41 league appearances in his first two seasons with the Potters, scoring just five goals, and heading into the summer, had he departed, few Stoke fans would likely have been too disappointed.

However, it’s so far, so good for Gallagher to begin the new campaign, as the striker is finally displaying exactly what he is capable of.

Sam Gallagher has had an excellent start to the 2026/27 season for Stoke City

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With two goals and one assist in four starts to begin the 2026/27 Championship campaign, Gallagher has had a solid start to the year, but it is the manner of his goals which have made Potters supporters stand up and take notice.

The Scot has previously netted some tidy finishes against Portsmouth and Watford in previous seasons, but his strikes against Wolves and, most recently, Sheffield United, the latter of which proved to be the match-winner, have been truly phenomenal.

Whilst his goal away to Wolves ultimately meant nothing as Stoke succumbed to a 4-1 defeat, it seemed to have been a sign of things to come. Latching on to a lofted pass in behind the Blades' defence with the game level, Gallagher brought the ball down and thundered his effort beyond Michael Cooper in the Sheffield United goal to give his side all three points.

Rotating with compatriot Hirst and Slovakian international Bozenik, if Gallagher’s minutes are monitored properly, and he can remain fit, Stoke have a real trump card with the former Blackburn striker, who has proven on numerous occasions to be capable of a spectacular finish.

Mark Robins will be pleased after avoiding potential transfer blunder

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Having decided to keep Gallagher around, Robins has been rewarded for keeping his faith in the striker, despite his woeful injury record.

Had the Scot not suffered from the injury woes he had, an exit likely would never have been on the cards in the first place, with the Potters manager having previously heaped praise on the striker.

Of course, there is still a lot of the season remaining, and if Gallagher’s injury record with the club is anything to go by, Stoke can’t claim to have avoided a major blunder just yet, but if he can stay fit and firing, he could well play a major role for the Potters this campaign.