Stoke City player on ‘top salary’ set to be axed by Mark Robins | OneFootball

Sam Gallagher could be on his way out of Stoke City this summer as the Potters plot two new arrivals

Stoke City have been in a state of stagnation for too long now, and Mark Robins appears steadfast in his belief and ability to turn the club's fortunes around, as the Potters prepare for another huge summer reshuffle.

It was 2016 when Stoke last finished in the top half of any division they have been in, that being a 9th-placed finish in the Premier League.

Now, the Potters prepare for their ninth consecutive year in the Championship since relegation in 2018, as that elusive top-half finish becomes increasingly desperate year after year.

By all accounts, it looked almost certain at one stage last season that Stoke would finally buck that trend, but with only Sheffield Wednesday picking up fewer points than them across the final 30 league games, they plummeted down to 17th.

Now, Robins looks set to reshape his squad once again this summer, and with goals not coming aplenty in North Staffordshire last season, the former Coventry City boss appears to be making moves to address just that by moving on a big-earner up top.

Stoke City are looking to move on Sam Gallagher this summer

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When it comes to striker options, Stoke aren't exactly lacking. The only question mark is the quality of those options.

Robins had the likes of Robert Bozenik, Milan Smit, and Sam Gallagher to call upon last season, with Lamine Cisse also capable of deputising as a centre-forward if required.

However, with each of those suffering injury problems across various stages of the campaign, neither was able to fully nail down a place up top for the Potters, as Robins looks to reshuffle his options this summer.

Bozenik joined on a free transfer last summer from Boavista, whilst Smit's loan arrival in January from Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles turned permanent this summer for around £4.8 million, as, according to Alan Nixon's Patreon, Stoke are looking to move on Gallagher over the coming months.

Gallagher, 30, has struggled with injuries ever since he arrived in the Potteries from Blackburn in the summer of 2024, making just 22 appearances in his maiden campaign, and then just 19 in the most recent season, missing more games than he has been available for, and netting just five times in that period.

This is despite Capology estimating his current wage in Staffordshire to be around £25k per week, making him one of the highest earners at the club, and with his wage, age, and injury record, it's little surprise that he is viewed as the obvious casualty.

Nixon also states that Stoke are looking to make two more attacking additions this summer, but those ambitions hinge on whether they can move Gallagher on or not.

Both Nathan Lowe and Emre Tezgel are set to return from their loans to give Robins food for thought, though whether either will play any role in the Potteries next season remains to be seen.

With one year remaining on his current deal, Stoke are unlikely to collect any sort of significant fee for the 30-year-old, and may well look to move him on for free just to shift his wages off the books.

Who those two attacking options are remains to be seen, but what is certain is that Gallagher will be looked to be moved on this summer, and almost certainly has played his final game for the Potters.

Mark Robins mustn't hold any punches at Stoke City this summer as he looks to move on Sam Gallagher

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With Stoke exhibiting their fragility in the second half of the campaign that they have shown ever since their return to the Championship in 2018, Robins simply must be ruthless in his decision-making this summer.

The 56-year-old recently said: "If you want an easy ride, don’t come here. We need you to run. This is a season when we are going to ensure that everybody earns their salary, every penny that they get – and enjoy doing it. That’s something we’ve got to remember as well, it has to be enjoyable. We want to succeed. Things are changing and for the better."

Gallagher, it must be said, simply hasn't earned his estimated £25k per week wages since arriving at Stoke, with his injury record being abysmal.