Transfer news: Stoke City confirm move for Manchester City striker John Guidetti
The youngster is among the most sought after players available for loan
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Your support makes all the difference.Stoke manager Mark Hughes hopes to give a different dimension to his side with the addition of Manchester City's young striker John Guidetti, but other paperwork must be completed first.
The Potters boss has expressed an interest in bringing in the 21-year-old on loan but has to make Stephen Ireland's loan from Aston Villa permanent before that can happen.
First-choice striker Peter Crouch and fellow forward Jon Walters both scored in the 5-3 defeat at home to Liverpool on Sunday but there was no place in the squad for Kenwyne Jones.
"There are certain parts of our game where we need a different option, to go in behind and we lack a bit of pace so we'd like to address that - but we've been looking since the summer," said Hughes of a player he knows from his time managing City.
"It is an obvious part of our play.
"If we can get him in he's a player that can add to what we have got and we are trying to add different options to our attack.
"He's a natural goalscorer and if we can get him into the right areas he will take chances.
"He was there (City) as a young player and worked with our under-21 coach Glynn Hodges when he was also there, so we know him."
While Hughes is looking to add more goals to a team which has scored just 22 goals in 21 matches he has no worries about young goalkeeper Jack Butland, who made his full Premier League debut on Sunday.
The England Under-21 international has been involved in the last three games - coming on at half-time of the New Year's Day draw with Everton after injury to Thomas Sorensen - with first-choice Asmir Begovic previously ruled out for up to six weeks with a broken finger.
"It was a difficult start for Jack as almost immediately he has conceded through no fault of his own," said Hughes referring to Ryan Shawcross's early own goal which opened the floodgates against Liverpool.
"He will be an outstanding goalkeeper, we know that, he just needs to have more experience at this level and that is what I hope to give him in the coming weeks."
PA
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