Stoke City have secured the return of highly-rated defender Ashley Phillips from Tottenham Hotspur on a season-long loan ahead of the 2025–26 campaign.
The 20-year-old centre-back impressed during his previous spell with the Potters, making 39 appearances across all competitions last season. Despite interest from Sheffield United and other Championship clubs, Stoke won the race to bring him back for another term.
📞 “Sí… Es oficial.”
Rashford sigue los pasos de Lineker. pic.twitter.com/vFcCNwXN0d— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) July 23, 2025
He becomes the fifth signing under new head coach Mark Robins, joining Aaron Cresswell, Maksym Talovierov, Sorba Thomas, and Divin Mubama as part of Stoke’s summer recruitment drive.
Speaking on the deal, sporting director Jonathan Walters said:
“Bringing Ashley back despite significant competition is a testament to how much he enjoyed his time here and to the behind-the-scenes effort that made this possible. It’s a big win for the club.”
Phillips, who has yet to make his senior debut for Tottenham, described the move as “unfinished business” and said his return was a “no-brainer.”
Stoke will kick off their Championship season at home against Derby County on Saturday, August 9, with Phillips expected to play a key role in their defensive line once again.