Two chats that secured Stoke City’s second transfer of the summer

Ben Gibson has revealed that he had candid conversations with his friend Jon Walters while deciding if Stoke City was the right club for him. The centre-back, leaving Norwich City after four years and a successful season finishing in the Championship play-off places, had several offers but wanted a clear picture of what was happening inside Stoke before committing.

Gibson, 31, had previously been clubmates with Walters, now Stoke’s sporting director, at Burnley. Their frank discussions helped Gibson make his decision. He emphasized the importance of the club’s direction over its facilities and history. “That was huge. To be honest, I’ve spoken about the magnitude of the club, the unbelievable owners, the facilities, the stadium, but what really matters to me is where are we heading?” he said. Gibson made it clear that if Stoke’s aim was only to replicate last season or settle as a mid-table Championship team, he wouldn’t have signed. He wanted a club committed to achieving more, aligning with his career-long focus on Premier League aspirations.

Gibson also spoke with head coach Steven Schumacher to ensure everyone at Stoke shared the same vision. “I had a Zoom call well before I signed,” he said. “He really excited me. He knew a lot about me! I’ve obviously played against his teams at Plymouth and Stoke last season, and both teams were different games. But certainly, when we played against Plymouth, they were a fantastic footballing team. He did a magnificent job there and certainly ended the season at Stoke with the lads playing some unbelievable football. That’s really key because we want to take that momentum forward.”

Gibson was impressed by Schumacher’s clarity and vision for the team. He noted that aligning with the manager’s style of play was crucial. “He really, really impressed me. I’m really, really looking forward to working for him. Everyone you speak to in football, whether they’ve played with him or played for him, can’t speak highly enough of him, and I’m really looking forward to getting to know him and working for him,” Gibson added.