Stoke City had a pretty disappointing last season as, despite having a fine squad, Hughes could not get the team going. Nothing seemed to have worked for them as Mark Hughes tried a number of formations and strategies to figure out the exact problem.
Hughes has been at the BET365 Stadium for quite a while now but this upcoming season could decide his fate as the Potters would be trying to solidify their position in the Premier League. Despite having the quality and resources at his disposal, Hughes failed to get the job done ultimately.
The Potters were expected to dip heavily in the transfer market but to everyone’s surprise, Hughes has been pretty calculated in the transfer market as he has so far acquired four players. If reports are to be believed, Stoke are on the verge of signing Bruno Martins Indi from Porto.
The Dutch international bowled over the supporters with his outstanding performance last season when he was on loan. Stoke initially had tried their best to crack a deal for the lanky defender but Porto’s strong stand had scuppered the deal.
But now the Dutch defender has been pushing for a move since he got back to the club after the season end. He knows he will be a guaranteed starter in England and has demanded an imminent solution to this problem.
The Potters did have the chance to land him for a cut price fee after last season’s impressive display but they refused to yield to Porto’s demands.
However, a lot of water has flown under the bridge since then and it seems Porto have changed their stance regarding the player. Hughes desperately needs to beef up his defence and Indi could be a bonus addition to the club. The 25-year-old made his presence felt last season and Hughes would love to have more of the same.
Hughes is expected to field a three man defence this season and Indi could marshal the defence alongside Ryan Shawcross and Kurt Zouma who arrived at the club on loan from Chelsea. Hughes is trying to secure his service as soon as possible so that he would be available for their season opener against Everton.
The Potters reportedly have a verbal agreement with the Portuguese club and a fee in the range of £7m has been decided between the two clubs. Crystal Palace have also enquired about the player’s availability but it seems the Potters have won the race.