Stoke City want Plymouth Argyle star - Mark Robins faces ruthless decision | OneFootball

Stoke City's interest in Plymouth striker Lorent Tolaj is bound to have knock-on effects on the Potters' squad

Stoke City's season has petered out in a hugely disappointing manner, with the Potters resigned to yet another year in the Championship, and look likely to endure their ninth year in a row of finishing in the bottom half of whichever league they are playing in.

Having started the season so strongly, winning four of their opening five league games, Stoke have drifted away from any sort of threat of breaking into the play-offs, and are set for their ninth consecutive year in the second tier following relegation from the Premier League in 2018.

It's difficult to feel anything but doom and gloom around the Potteries at the moment, with a season which promised so much only to likely now deliver a token bottom-half finish once again.

Although, whatever the outcome, signs of progress have been shown at the bet365 Stadium.

At this stage, only Coventry City and Middlesbrough have spent more than Stoke's 43 days in the top two of the division this campaign, and whilst things have tailed off, head coach Mark Robins will point to injuries and other factors for their downfall.

The centre-forward role has been a particular problem for the former Coventry boss, as a recent link to one of League One's top forwards could well have its affect on the Potters squad.

Stoke City have been linked with Plymouth Argyle's Lorent Tolaj ahead of a potential summer switch

Stoke's current options up top are Divin Mubama, on loan from Manchester City, Robert Bozenik, who has spent over three months out with injury, Sam Gallagher, who has been unavailable for more games than he has been available for since joining from Blackburn Rovers nearly two years ago, and Milan Smit, who has yet to find his feet since joining from Go Ahead Eagles in January.

Between them, they have scored a combined ten league goals all season, and considering that, it's pretty clear where there has been a huge problem.

French forward Lamine Cisse has deputised up top on occasion after injuries to each of Mubama, Bozenik, and Gallagher, though his two goals in 30 league appearances are nothing to shout about.

It's not wholly surprising to see the Potters therefore linked with Plymouth Argyle and former Port Vale striker Lorent Tolaj, as a result, who has continued his upwards trajectory in Devon this season.

The Swiss forward had shone for Aldershot Town in the fifth tier previously, earning him a move to Port Vale, where he continued to shine, as Plymouth triggered his £1.2 million release clause this summer to bring him to Home Park.

With 15 goals and five assists in 25 league games for the Pilgrims this season, it's no surprise to see Stoke, along with the likes of Anderlecht, Norwich City, and Swansea City, join the race for Tolaj.

Tolaj had previously drawn the interest of Celtic in recent windows, with a summer exit on the cards, especially if Plymouth fail to clinch promotion back to the Championship.

Given Stoke's troubles up front, it's hardly a shock to see them linked with Tolaj, though if any move is made for the former Vale forward, it could have further ramifications for the current crop of strikers in the Potteries.

Mark Robins will have a big decision to make at Stoke City regarding the futures of numerous strikers amid Lorent Tolaj's link

Should Stoke indeed go after Tolaj this summer, there will be some big decisions to make for Robins.

The former Coventry boss had preferred to line up in a 4-2-3-1 shape for the majority of the season, leaving room for just one striker, and should the Swiss forward sign, he will want assurances of playing time.

Mubama will almost certainly return to Man City from his loan, whilst both Nathan Lowe and Emre Tezgel will return to the Potters' first-team squad after loans out elsewhere.

Smit's loan arrival from Go Ahead Eagles is obligated to become a permanent one in the summer for £4.8 million, and will almost certainly be a part of the side next year despite his slow start.

Bozenik only joined from Boavista in the summer, and there is growing optimism around the place that he can become a force to be reckoned with upon his return from injury.

This means that Stoke have Bozenik, Smit, Gallagher, Lowe, and Tezgel on their books heading into next year, and should Tolaj sign, almost certainly something must give for two or three of those.

Gallagher is the most likely candidate to leave, given his patchy injury record, though whether they can shift him off the books is another question, whilst Tezgel is doubtful to make an impact in the first team.

Lowe has shown his ability to find the back of the net with loans to Walsall, Stockport County, and most recently Wycombe Wanderers, though his pathway to first-team football at Stoke doesn't look to be clear.

Robins must decide on the players that he can trust to make an impact up front next season, and ruthless decisions must be made by the 56-year-old.