Tuesday, 3rd June, 2014



Stoke City chairman Peter Coates is hopeful about quickly wrapping up the deal for former Manchester United striker Mame Biram Diouf.

The striker, whose contract with Bundesliga side Hannover expires in the summer, has decided not to extend his stay at the German club.




And Coates confirmed that the Potters are nearing the signing of the Senegal international, who was twice close to a move to the Britannia Stadium last term.

"We're hopeful that Diouf will be done," he told the BBC.

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"He's the striker Mark Hughes wanted last year. We thought twice we'd got the deal done only for the deal to collapse, as it does in football."

Coates, who further revealed that Stoke are also closing in on other players, explained that current Potters boss Mark Hughes likes to conclude deals early in the transfer window as opposed to his predecessor Tony Pulis.

"We've got a few irons in the fire with other players. Mark knows who he'd like to get,” he added.

"Tony Pulis had a preference for leaving things late. I wasn't always sure he was right but that's what he felt, so we tended to go down that path. Mark would rather do things earlier.

"They're all different. The outcome is the important thing."

Stoke, who have already signed another former Manchester United player Phil Bardsley from Sunderland, finished the 2013/14 campaign in ninth spot in the Premier League with 50 points.

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