Football
Exclusive: Stoke City Ready to Hand Captain Ben Wilmot New Long-Term Deal
Stoke City are prepared to offer captain Ben Wilmot a new long-term contract, as reported by SportsBoom. Wilmot's current deal is set to expire soon, but talks for a new three-year deal will commence soon. Under Mark Robins, Stoke has improved significantly, with Wilmot impressing as both a player and captain. Wilmot began his career at Stevenage, earning a move to Watford before joining Stoke.
Cardiff City FC v Stoke City FC- Sky Bet Championship by Athena Pictures | Getty Images
Stoke City are ready to offer captain Ben Wilmot a new long-term contract, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.
The defender’s current deal is set to expire at the end of the season, but the club hold an option for a further year.
But our sources have been told club bosses want to tie Wilmot’s further to the bet365 and talks will commence over a new three-year deal in the coming weeks.
Wilmot, the club’s Player of the Year in the 2022/23 season, was instilled as captain by Mark Robins this season and he has continued to impress both on and off the field since undertaking the role.
The 25-year-old centre-back penned an initial four-year deal when he joined the club from Watford in 2021 before an extension in 2023 when he agreed to stay until the summer of 2026.
Speaking about his future earlier this season, Wilmot said: “Officially [up next summer] and then I have another option in the club's favour for another year. I've not heard anything yet, but it's not up to me, so we'll see what upstairs do later on.”
Mark Robins has turned Stoke’s fortunes around since taking the reins at the club at the start of the year.
The former Coventry City boss kept the club up on the final day of last season and they have made a strong start to the new campaign, establishing themselves among the early pace setters.
Home from Home
Wilmot began his career at Stevenage, where dad Richard made over 150 appearances in goal, before being signed by Watford for a fee in the region of £1million, a club record for Stevenage, in 2018.
During his first season for the club, the defender went on loan to the Hornets’ sister club Udinese in Serie A.
The following campaign he spent a loan spell at Swansea City and made 23 appearances before he sustained a knee injury.
Wilmot made 27 appearances as Watford secured their Premier League return in the 2020/21 season before moving to Stoke.
Shane is a seasoned sports journalist and one of the most recognisable voices in the snooker pressroom. From Ronnie O’Sullivan to Zhao Xintong, he has sat down with the sport’s biggest names and broken hundreds of front-page national stories.
Alongside his work for SportsBoom, Shane regularly freelances for national outlets including the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, and Daily Star.
While cricket is Shane’s true passion, particularly Test cricket, he keeps it largely separate from his professional work. But don’t expect him to be sold on The Hundred as the future of the game.