MAKSYM TALOVIEROV

Full Name: Maksym Vadymovych Talovierov (also known as Maxi)

Born: 28 June 2000

Came from: LASK (Austria)   Went to: Stoke City

First game: 01 February 2025   Last game: 03 May 2025

Appearances: 13 (12/1)   Goals: 2

Born in Nalchik whilst his father was playing in Russia for Spartak Nalchik, Talovierov spent his early years at the Shakhtar Donetsk and Arsenal Kyiv academies in Ukraine. After spending three years in the reserves at Olympik Donetsk, the tall centre-back moved to České Budějovice, making his debut in a 2-2 home draw with Sparta Prague in July 2019. Three further appearances followed before he established himself in the side with 26 appearances during the 2020-21 season. His first goal for the Czech-based side came in a 2-0 win over Teplice at the Stadio Střelecký Ostrov in January 2021.

During the following campaign, however, he was restricted to just 14 matches and moved to Slavia Prague at the start of the following season. He found it difficult to force his way into the starting line-up at his new club and was largely restricted to appearances from the bench. After a disappointing 2021-22 season he moved to Slovan Liberec, where he played 15 times in all competitions scoring twice.

In February 2023, Talovierov signed for Austrian Bundesliga club LASK on loan until the end of the season and just over a year later he signed on a permanent deal. By this point in his career, he had earned 21 caps for the Ukrainian under-21 side, making the step up to the under-23 team in 2024. During the domestic campaign of 2023-24, he made 34 appearances in all competitions for LASK, with his only goal coming in the 3-0 UEFA Europa League win over Union Saint-Gilloise. In March 2024, he made his full international debut as a late substitute in a 2-1 win in Bosnia-Herzegovina in a European Championship qualifier.

After 19 appearances in all competitions during the 2024-25 season, he became the new Argyle Head Coach, Miron Muslic’s first signing when he joined the Pilgrims late in the January transfer window for an undisclosed, but reported club record fee, believed to be £1.7million, signing a three-and-a-half year contract with the club.

'Maxi' quickly became a fans' favourite in what was, sadly, to become a brief stay at Home Park. He made his debut the day after signing against West Bromwich Albion and scored his first goal for the club against relegation rivals Luton Town in February 2025, in a spirited 1-1 draw. The following week he etched his name in Argyle folklore, opening the scoring against Manchester City at the Etihad in the FA Cup. A knee injury then curtailed his involved for the remainder of the season and with Argyle relegated from the Championship, he was linked with a transfer away from Home Park.

Sadly that came to fruition and in July 2025, Talovierov joined Championship club Stoke City on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee, which was reported to have at least recouped Argyle's record outlay.