Stoke City agree £1m-a-year deal to sign in-demand Norwich City cast-off

Stoke City signs Ben Gibson, a former Norwich defender, demonstrating their desire and determination to reassemble their team for a more competitive campaign.
Under Steven Schumacher, Gibson’s defensive expertise and experience will be vital to Stoke’s efforts to move up the Championship table.
Gibson’s skills and development will be important for Stoke City’s defense and their hopes of being promoted, despite early difficulties.

Journalist Alan Nixon claims that Stoke City is about to finalize the signing of former Norwich City defender Ben Gibson.

After four years at Carrow Road, Gibson was released by Norwich this summer at the end of his contract. It is rumored that Stoke won the race to recruit him.

“A handful of Championship sides” were interested in the 31-year-old, but the Potters “came up with the most lucrative package” and will “pay in the region of £1 million a year for his experience.”

After keeping the team in the division this season, Gibson will become Stoke’s second acquisition in a hectic summer for Steven Schumacher, who is looking to rebuild his team.

Gibson appears to be the next player to join the Potters at the bet365 Stadium after they defeated Derby County and Sheffield United to acquire Rotherham United goalkeeper Viktor Johansson this summer.

After starting his career with Middlesbrough, Gibson made 204 appearances for his home team and assisted them in winning promotion to the Premier League in 2016.

Due to his stellar performances for Boro, the 31-year-old gained recognition as one of the Championship’s top defenders. In August 2018, he signed a £15 million contract to join Burnley.

Gibson made just six appearances for the Clarets during his disastrous tenure at Turf Moor, and in February 2020, following a falling out with manager Sean Dyche, he returned to Boro to continue training.

After winning the Championship title with the Canaries in his first season there, Gibson signed a contract to become a permanent member of Norwich in September 2020 for a fee of £8 million.

Throughout his four years at Carrow Road, the defender was a mainstay. This season, he helped the team go to the play-offs, where Norwich was defeated by Leeds United in the semifinals.

After spending two months out of the game due to injury in December, Gibson returned to form, earning praise from head coach David Wagner despite criticism from some Canaries fans for his lackluster play in the first half of the season.

“In recent weeks, or the last month, he has shown maybe a different style to his game – very aggressive, very front-foot defending, very brave, to not give the opponent a breather,” Wagner stated to the Pink Un. “Instead of just this center half who plays the ball that everyone is talking about.

Perhaps he brought something new to his game—that nasty, aggressive quality that you want in a center half, particularly when your team prefers to defend on the front foot, which is what we do.

“In the last few weeks, he has adjusted incredibly well. He is deserving of all the recognition and accolades he receives for introducing this novel approach, or modification, to his gameplay. He made some significant progress, but there is undoubtedly still room for development.”

It was surprising to see Gibson released at the conclusion of his contract because of his significant contribution to Norwich’s play-off push, but he won’t be without a club for long after reaching a

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