Hughes keen to add striker

Stoke City manager Mark Hughes is keen to bolster his attacking options when the transfer window reopens next month, Sky Sports understands.

The clubs current selections of forwards – Peter Crouch, Kenwyne Jones, Jonathan Walters and Marko Arnautovic – have managed just two goals between them this season, while only the bottom two sides in the division have failed to score in more games than them.

Chairman Peter Coates has confirmed that he will back his manager to strengthen in that position, before saying that he is impressed with the work carried out so far by Hughes, who replaced Tony Pulis at the Britannia Stadium in the summer.

The Potters host a Cardiff City side who they sit level on points with in the division, where victory could take either side as high as eleventh place depending on other results, and the home win can be backed at a price of 23/20.