Sorba Thomas 2.0? Mark Robins can repeat Huddersfield Town trick at Stoke City | OneFootball

Stoke City should look to sign Cameron Ashia from Huddersfield Town this summer to replicate the Sorba Thomas deal

Stoke City’s season once looked full of promise, with a place in the top half looking extremely likely before a horrendous dip in form has seen the Potters plummet down the table.

It looks to be another season of frustration in the Potteries, as Stoke’s hopes of a top-six finish look all but gone after a dismal run of results.

Led by former Coventry City boss Mark Robins, the Potters came out of the blocks quickly, but their promising start and hopes of a big improvement in their league finish have since evaporated.

Numerous reasons can be attributed to their collapse, though injuries have to be one of the biggest. Important players such as Viktor Johansson, Divin Mubama, Lewis Baker, Junior Tchamadeu, Aaron Cresswell, and, most recently, Ben Wilmot have all spent time out, which has seriously affected their results.

Attacking-wise, they have been underwhelming, as if it wasn’t for the efforts of Welsh winger Sorba Thomas, they could’ve found themselves in danger once again this year.

Thomas joined from Huddersfield Town in the summer and has been truly excellent, as Robins should look to the Terriers once again this summer to complete a similar trick.

Huddersfield Town winger Cameron Ashia has been linked with Stoke City

As reported by FootballFanCast, Huddersfield winger Cameron Ashia has been the subject of interest from numerous Championship clubs, including Stoke, Birmingham City and Queens Park Rangers.

The nephew of Nottingham Forest winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ashia has become a regular in the Terriers' side under former Bristol City and Norwich City boss Liam Manning, as the Terriers remain on the hunt to fire themselves out of League One this campaign.

Ashia spent time in the Derby County youth system before joining Huddersfield in April 2024, where he largely played for the club's youth side before breaking into the first team this season, making appearances against the likes of Leicester City, Sunderland, and Manchester City in the EFL Cup.

A tricky, direct winger best off the left, the 20-year-old is a man in demand, and Huddersfield face a real battle to keep hold of him this summer, with both Scottish giants Rangers and Hearts also tracking his progress.

Stoke, after a busy summer of recruitment, will look to continue their new transfer model heading into this upcoming window, and Ashia will likely be one of their targets, having already completed an excellent piece of business with the Terriers less than a year ago.

Mark Robins should look to replicate Sorba Thomas swoop with Huddersfield Town’s Cameron Ashia

Stoke's summer deal for Sorba Thomas has been one of the club's best bits of business in their recent history.

The Welsh international had previously shown what he was capable of during his stint in West Yorkshire, and spent the previous season on loan with Nantes in Ligue 1.

Thomas has emerged as the club's outstanding player this season, nearing double digits for both goals and assists, with his performances off the left flank proving crucial in Stoke's early efforts to climb the league table this campaign.

Although he hasn't been able to sustain his red-hot form throughout the entirety of the year, there is no doubting his importance to the side, which has seen him even linked to Premier League side Bournemouth following Antoine Semenyo's move to Manchester City.

Neither Lamine Cisse, Bae Jun-Ho, nor Million Manhoef have come close to replicating Thomas' goal and assist output, with Jesurun Rak-Sakyi yet to shine since his loan move from Crystal Palace.

Ato Ampah joined from Chelsea in a permanent deal in the January window alongside Rak-Sakyi to provide competition on the wings, though he is yet to make an appearance for the Potters after spending his first couple of months with the club out with an injury.

Given how successful the signing of Thomas has been, it would be remiss of Robins not to consider a serious move for Ashia, who has the potential to make an even greater impact in the Potteries than the Welshman.