Stoke are keeping a close on the situations of Manchester City strike pairing Craig Bellamy and Roque Santa Cruz, with media reports linking the pair with summer moves to the Britannia Stadium.
Welshman Bellamy is a long term target of Potters boss Tony Pulis, City put in a loan bid for the striker when he was frozen out at Newcastle six years ago, and the pacey forward looks set to be left out of the 25 man squad at Eastlands, meaning he must find himself a club for the season.
Tottenham and Villa are also reportedly interested but Stoke will hope that their interest fails to materialise and Bellamy, who can also play on the wings, rolls up at the Britannia Stadium, either on a season loan or a permanent transfer.
Santa Cruz is another who looks set to be frozen out at Manchester City. After showing glimpses of a world class player whilst at Blackburn he flopped at Citeh last season, struggling to get himself fit and to force his way into the first XI on a regular basis.
This deal is reported in a few of this mornings papers as being a permanent deal, with the Paraguayan, who failed to impress at the World Cup, valued at around £8m.
Manager Pulis will be hoping to revive Santa Cruz career by making him the big fish oin the smaller pond once again.