Stoke City can reach the Premier League on one condition | OneFootball

Stoke City must keep Sorba Thomas beyond the January window to stand a chance of promotion to the Premier League

Stoke City remain within touching distance of the top six, with the form of Sorba Thomas proving to be absolutely pivotal in the Potters' efforts of earning promotion back to the Premier League this campaign.

It has been Stoke City's best season in nearly a decade this campaign, and it still could get even better for Potters fans.

Since relegation from the Premier League in 2018, Stoke have consistently dwindled in the bottom half of the Championship table, despite no lack of investment into the playing squad.

Mark Robins is the club's seventh permanent manager/head coach since the club returned to the second tier, with the former Coventry City boss keeping the club afloat by the skin of their teeth at the end of last campaign.

Now, Stoke are looking up. Having spent much of the season in the top six, a run of just two wins in ten league games saw the club plummet out of the play-off picture, but back-to-back victories over Hull City and Norwich City see them remain within touching distance of the top six.

Imperative to those efforts has been wide man Sorba Thomas, who Stoke will be absolutely desperate to keep at the club beyond the January window amid speculation that top-flight side AFC Bournemouth are interested in his signature as a potential replacement for Antoine Semenyo following his high-profile switch to Manchester City.

If Stoke want a chance of Premier League football next season, keeping Thomas is absolutely crucial.

Stoke City must keep hold of Sorba Thomas beyond the January window to retain Premier League dream

Indeed, rumours of Bournemouth's supposed interest in Thomas will have caused concern to many around Stoke and the Potters fanbase, who will be well aware of his importance to the side.

Signed from League One Huddersfield Town in the summer, Thomas has started all 26 Championship games at this stage, with no player in the division having directly contributed to more goals this season than his 15 (nine goals, six assists).

Stoke have scored 32 goals in the league this campaign, meaning that the Welshman has directly contributed to just shy of half of the goals scored by the club this campaign, the highest percentage of anyone in the Championship.

It therefore goes without question just how important the 26-year-old has been, and will continue to be for Stoke this campaign.

The Potters will, of course, be reluctant to see Thomas, who is under contract until the summer of 2028, leave anytime soon, let alone this January, with this season presenting their best chance at a return to the Premier League since they have been in the division.

Thomas has been Stoke's standout performer this season, it goes without saying.

Divin Mubama, Sam Gallagher, and Robert Bozenik have each struggled in front of goal at various stages this season, with just seven goals between them in a combined 53 Championship appearances this season, with three of those coming in one game against Bristol City, when Mubama netted a hat-trick.

Lamine Cisse netted his first goal for the club in a 1-0 win over Coventry City in the FA Cup last time out, whilst Million Manhoef has frustrated in front of goal from the other club, and Bae Jun-Ho has struggled to add goals to his game, despite an overall improvement in his game under Robins.

Lewis Baker, who has been absent due to injury since the start of November, has been a huge miss from midfield, with his goal threat from distance always proving to be useful.

Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi has been linked with a move to the Potteries this January, with Palace having since recalled him from his loan at Turkish side Rizespor, but the Potters face competition from Swansea City for his signature.

Rak-Sakyi would add another option to Stoke's front line, allowing Cisse to be a more viable option off the left and giving Thomas a breather when needed, helping to take the burden of contributing to the majority of goals away from the Welshman.

Whether Stoke will add another striker remains to be seen at this stage, with Bozenik out for an unknown period of time after sustaining an injury away to Hull.

Despite this, the best bit of business the Potters can do this winter is keep hold of Thomas, as without him, their hopes of a return to the Premier League this season will surely fade.