Stoke are set to shatter the £8m transfer record fee, paid for Kenwyne Jones 12 months ago, after Peter Crouch reportedly agreed to sign for the Potters with just 4 hours of the transfer window remaining.
City are still yet to announce any signings on deadline day, even though it is believed the signature of Wilson Palacios, also from Spurs, is a done deal and have also been linked with Asamoah Gyan, Craig Bellamy, Hugo Rodallega and Nicklas Bendtner during the course of today, with representatives of Bellamy and Bendtner locked in negotiations with the Potters. City have also agreed a fee with Birmingham for striker Cameron Jerome, believed to be as much as £6m, and have been talking to the hitman since this morning.
Crouch, born in nearby Macclesfield, has been told by Spurs manager Harry Redknapp that he will not be included in his 25 man squad at White Hart Lane and needs to find a club with QPR and Sunderland also having lodged bids today.
A compensation package agreement with Tottenham is now being discussed and is the only hurdle left before the deal can be signed, sealed and delivered.