Stoke City might regret costly £35k-per-week free transfer - He is their top earner | OneFootball

Ben Gibson signed for Stoke City on a free transfer last summer after his release from Norwich City.

Ben Gibson joined Stoke City last summer following his release from Norwich City, signing a bumper contract at the bet365 Stadium, yet he does not appear to be in manager Mark Robins' plans.

After being released by Norwich, spending four years as a regular fixture in both the Premier League and Championship at Carrow Road, Gibson joined Stoke in the summer of 2024 on a bumper deal.

Signed by former boss Steven Schumacher, the 32-year-old was immediately given the captain's armband and thrust straight into the starting eleven alongside Ben Wilmot at the heart of defence.

However, just five games into the Championship season, Schumacher was dismissed and replaced by the lesser-known Narcis Pelach, who had been working as a coach at Norwich before his appointment, meaning he was familiar with Gibson.

The Englishman retained his place under Pelach. However, Stoke's form would plummet, as the Spaniard won just three of his 19 league games in charge and was sacked after just three months in the role.

From there, Gibson lost his place in the starting lineup under interim boss Ryan Shawcross and then Robins, with Wilmot, Ashley Phillips, and Michael Rose all preferred ahead of him in the pecking order.

Ben Gibson is the highest-paid player at Stoke City on £35,000 per week

When he signed for the Potters, Gibson was viewed as an experienced leader at Championship level, and someone who would drive the standards both on and off the pitch.

233 games in the second tier, as well as 67 in the Premier League, meant Stoke offered the then-32-year-old Gibson a three-year deal on a estimated £35k per week, making him by far the highest-paid player at the club.

Both Sam Gallagher and Steven Nzonzi are also on a reported £25,000 per week, putting them joint-second in the wage rankings at the bet365 Stadium. Though like Gibson, neither has made a single league appearance for the Potters so far this season, with Nzonzi undergoing a personal pre-season and Gallagher out with a muscle injury.

This means that Stoke have three players worth a combined £85,000 per week yet to have played in the Championship for them this season.

However, Stoke fans will not care too much, with the Potters undergoing their best start to a league campaign in 27 years, with four wins in their opening five Championship games, leaving them second in the table.

Captain Ben Gibson has fallen way down the pecking order under manager Mark Robins

Under former Coventry City boss Robins, Stoke have undoubtedly become a much more competitive side.

This summer, the Potters signed the likes of Sorba Thomas, Divin Mubama and Lamine Cisse in attacking areas, whilst Aaron Cresswell, Maksym Talovierov and Ashley Phillips have all come in to strengthen the defensive unit.

Both Talovierov and Phillips have yet to start a game in the Championship for the club this season, with the duo of Wilmot and Bosun Lawal being preferred by manager Robins, leaving Gibson well down the pecking order.

Although he is still officially club captain, Gibson's captaincy duties on the pitch have been taken over by Wilmot, who has enjoyed his strongest start to a season in Stoke colours since joining the club in 2021 from Watford.

Still under contract until 2027, whether Gibson can force himself back into Robins' plans remains to be seen, though with the competition ahead of him and the good form Stoke have shown up to this stage, it appears to be unlikely, and he will have to earn his £35,000 per week off the pitch instead.