Stoke City linked with departing West Brom playmaker
Mark Robins has added one new signing to his squad so far this summer
Stoke City are reportedly among four Championship clubs who have sounded out free agent John Swift.
Swift, aged 30, is out of contract this summer and is leaving West Bromwich Albion after three years and 126 appearances. He had previously made his name as one of the most creative players in the Championship with Reading.
It is now claimed by Birmingham World that there is interest from Stoke, Derby County, two other rivals in the division and clubs in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the United States.
READ MORE:What Stoke City new boy has told Mark Robins about best position as he makes pledge
READ MORE:Stoke City old boy lands new club in the Championship in reunion
Swift came through the ranks at Chelsea alongside Stoke midfielder Lewis Baker, having grown up in Portsmouth. Links earlier this summer with a move to Portsmouth have been discredited.
Derby had made Swift a target back in January but he opted to stay at the Hawthorns and fight for his place. He ended up scoring three times and providing one assist as he fell in and out of the starting XI during 2024/25.
Swift was signed for Albion by Steve Bruce, and he, Jed Wallace and Okay Yokuslu were handed substantial deals because they were free agents.
Championship pundit Don Goodman said when West Brom confirmed their released list: “He is such a talented player, Swift, a player that I really admire. I do not think West Bromwich Albion fans have seen the best of him over his time there.”
“I think, although he is a talented player, he will still have a little bit of regret that he was not able to show his true potential and find that consistency we know he is capable of.”
Maksym Talovierov to Stoke City transfer latest as Plymouth centre-back ‘studying offer’
Ukraine international centre-back is a wanted man in the Championship after showing his potential at Plymouth Argyle
Maksym Talovierov has admitted there is interest from Stoke City as he considers his future this summer.
The 25-year-old Ukraine centre-back is reported to be in advanced talks about a move to the bet365 Stadium, six months after Plymouth Argyle broke their transfer record to sign him from Austrian club LASK for about €2m (£1.7m).
He showed his potential in the Championship, so Argyle have been braced for interest in the player following their relegation to League One.
READ MORE:Two headline Championship transfers collapse amid money worries and competition
READ MORE:Four players waving goodbye to Stoke City today as Mark Robins transfer plans take shape
He signed a three-and-a-half year contract at Home Park and has been quizzed today by the Ukrainian football media about what he will do next.
“There is interest, but I am studying the offer and am currently in Plymouth,” he is quoted as telling Tribuna.
Talovierov was given an extra few days off by Argyle due to his international commitments during the close season, but was due back in this week.
He was part of Ukraine’s squad for the Canadian Shield tournament in Toronto and came off the bench against New Zealand.
