Exclusive: What Don Goodman has said about "excellent" Stoke City, Plymouth Argyle deal | OneFootball

Don Goodman believes incoming Stoke signing Maksym Talovierov could be benefit massively from Sorba Thomas’ dangerous dead-ball deliveries.

Pundit Don Goodman believes Maksym Talovierov will be an “excellent” signing for Stoke City and will form a “beneficial” partnership with recent summer addition Sorba Thomas, should a deal get over the line.

The Potters are looking to rise up the second tier table after seasons of mid-table obscurity since their relegation from the Premier League back in 2018.

Mark Robins will be looking to work his magic at the Bet365 Stadium just like he managed to at Coventry City, taking the Sky Blues all the way from League Two to being a penalty kick away from top-flight football.

Stoke are aiming to give Robins the tools to bring about success, and are believed to be closing in on the signing of Plymouth Argyle defender Maksym Talovierov, who caught the eye for Argyle in the second half of last season, adapting to Championship life very well.

Goodman has weighed in with his thoughts over the impact Talovierov can make and the interesting partnership him and wideman Sorba Thomas could develop after the former Huddersfield Town man signed on the dotted line at the beginning of June.

Don Goodman outlines “beneficial” Maksym Talovierov, Sorba Thomas partnership at Stoke City

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, pundit Don Goodman admits Stoke City will be picking up an excellent addition in the form of Maksym Talovierov, believing that the towering defender could profit regularly off Sorba Thomas’ impressive set-piece deliveries.

Goodman said: “I don’t think it’s a surprise to anybody that Plymouth slowly but surely seem to be losing the players that really excelled for them, particularly in the second-half of last season where they did an awful lot better than they did in the first half.

“They have already lost a few key players. There's no doubt players that they would have love to have kept, like Ryan Hardie, Mustapha Bundu, Adam Randell, and this fellow was arguably going to be one of the most sought-after, Maksym, with what he achieved.

“I'm not surprised. I think he would be an excellent addition for Stoke City, and you talk about Sorba Thomas, who has brilliant delivery obviously from set-pieces, so those two new Stoke City signings, if Maxi has signed, could be very beneficial.”

Maksym Talovierov addition will provide a much-needed boost to Stoke City's defensive options

Mark Robins will be relieved and excited to add Maksym Talovierov to his list of defensive options, which at the moment are quite slender.

There’s little strength in depth after it was confirmed that Michael Rose, alongside Enda Stevens, Jordan Thompson and Lynden Gooch would all be leaving the club following the expiration of their contracts this summer.

That has left the Potters boss with just Ben Wilmot, Ben Gibson and Bosun Lewal as the remaining central defensive options.

Gibson is now at the age of 32 and looking to bounce back from a disappointing opening term, Wilmot is entering final 12 months of his current contract, while Lewal is unproven in the second tier.

This summer was imperative to add a defender heading into the prime years of his career and a quality player at Championship level, and Talovierov certainly fits both of those requirements.

Meanwhile, the partnership he could form with new signing Sorba Thomas is a frightening prospect.

For any team to be successful, added sources of goals from all over the pitch is crucial, and at a towering 6ft 4 in height, the Ukrainian could be powering efforts home consistently if Sorba Thomas can maintain his positive reputation of being a dead-ball specialist.