Stoke City can seal dream swoop for Spurs star - Mark Robins will be holding his breath | OneFootball

Stoke City will be hoping Tottenham avoid relegation to boost their hopes of re-signing Ashley Phillips this summer

Stoke City and Mark Robins will be keeping one eye on Tottenham Hotspur for one clear reason, as the Potters target a summer return for their star defender.

Stoke's season, at one stage, was packed with promise, with the Potters emerging as strong promotion candidates alongside both Coventry City and Middlesbrough at the beginning of the campaign.

However, whilst Coventry and Middlesbrough have been able to sustain their form and continue to push for promotion throughout the year, Stoke, on the other hand, have plummeted down the table and look destined for another season in the Championship.

Not since the 2015/16 season have Stoke finished in the top half of any division they have been in, with it being nearly a decade of bottom-half finishes in the Potteries.

Whilst many Potters will be frustrated and disheartened with the way this season has panned out, there have been clear signs of incremental improvement around the club, both on and off the pitch, giving them something to hold on to moving forward.

Sorba Thomas has been their standout performer, hitting double digits for both goals and assists from the wing, though one of their defenders, who has just been nominated for an EFL award, has arguably been just as good.

Ashley Phillips has been excellent once again during his second loan spell at Stoke City from Tottenham Hotspur

Ashley Phillips is approaching the end of his second loan spell at Stoke, having spent the 2024/25 season on loan from Tottenham Hotspur. He rejoined the Potters this summer under Mark Robins and has picked up where he left off.

Having recently been shortlisted for the EFL Championship’s Young Player of the Season award alongside the likes of Leicester City's Jordan James, Sheffield United's Sydie Peck, and Derby County's Bobby Clark, it is just a small piece of recognition for just how good the centre-back has been this campaign.

Phillips initially struggled to break back into the side upon his return to the Potteries, with both Bosun Lawal and Ben Wilmot excelling alongside each other, but an injury to Lawal allowed Phillips a route back into the side, and he hasn't looked back.

Stoke, for a large part of the season, had the best defensive record in the league, and whilst that has diminished in recent months for several reasons, Phillips has remained excellent in the middle of defence.

Still only 20, the Blackburn Rovers academy product has already made over 100 professional career appearances, with 79 of those coming on loan with the Potters, which is a testament to just how important he has been for them.

Stoke would likely jump at the chance to bring him back to the bet365 Stadium once again this summer, and their chances of doing so will drastically increase in the event of one thing in particular.

Mark Robins will be holding his breath as Ashley Phillips' future hinges on Tottenham Hotspur's fate

Indeed, whether Phillips will be a Stoke player once again next season largely depends on the fate of his parent club, Tottenham, with the North London outfit embroiled in a heated relegation battle in the top flight.

Both Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor have failed to get a tune out of the Spurs squad, with former Brighton and Hove Albion and Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi the man tasked with keeping the club afloat in the final stretch of the season.

In the event that Spurs retain their Premier League status, re-signing Phillips, whilst not an easy task, would be all the more simple than if they were to be relegated, as the 20-year-old would likely become a key component of their squad.

Phillips signed a fresh deal with Spurs in the summer before returning to Stoke, with his time in North London set to expire in the summer of 2028, meaning he will have another two years left on his deal at the end of this campaign.

What sort of fee Spurs would demand for Phillips in any case remains to be seen, but they will likely be looking to make a significant profit on the £2 million they paid Blackburn for him back in 2023 as an 18-year-old.

With the financial regulations changing heading into next year, Stoke will be able to spend once again, and backed by the wealthy Coates family, Robins will be rubbing his hands at the thought of rebuilding the Potters.

Phillips, by all accounts, would be an incredible purchase from Stoke, though whether a deal is feasible depends on Tottenham's future, as one of Robins' eyes will surely be kept closely on their situation.