Rumoured to be trying to sort out a loan deal with Chelsea for Kurt Zouma, Stoke City are clearly trying to bolster their defence ahead of next season.
Already signing Josh Tymon from Hull City on a free, the latest name to be linked with the Potters is Lyon centre-back Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, best known in England for his time at Newcastle United.
The former Newcastle centre-back was left out of the Ligue 1 club’s preseason tour, and, barring a sudden change of mind in a scheduled meeting with the club’s president, is likely to be at another club come the end of the season.
According to RMC Sport in France, Montpellier want to bring him back on a season-long loan, knowing exactly what he can do from his eight years at the club between 2005 and 2013.
However, Stoke and Zenit in Russia have also made a few moves to try and obtain the 28-year-old’s services, including making contact with the player’s entourage, most likely to see if he would be interested.
It’s early days in this one, and it could just be Mark Hughes was covering all bases in case the Zouma deal fell through, counting on Yanga-Mbiwa’s English experience.