Thursday, 27th June, 2013
Stoke City manager Mark Hughes is poised to make his second full signing of the transfer window, with PSV Eindhoven left-back Erik Pieters given permission to speak to the Potters, according to De Telegraaf.
Hughes has already given Premier League veteran Jermaine Pennant a fresh one-year deal at the Britannia Stadium, and is expected to hold talks with Pieters over a possible four-year deal.
The 24-year-old was limited to just two Eredivisie appearances this season following a succession of injuries, but has still clocked up five valuable years with PSV since moving from FC Utrecht.
The Potters have been monitoring Pieters’ situation for a while, with his contract set to expire next year, and speculation of a summer swoop had been doing the rounds since April.
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And PSV technical director Marcel Brands has given Pieters permission to hold negotiations with the Premier League side, as Hughes prepares the Potters for life without long-serving manager Tony Pulis.
Pieters boasts 140 appearances for PSV’s senior side in all competitions, with 11 assists adding to his value, even if he has not found the back of the net yet for the Eredivisie giants.
It is understood PSV are keen on the deal with Stoke City being worth €4.5m, but discussions are ongoing over the details of the transfer.
Pieters’ performances have earned him a healthy 17 caps with Holland’s senior squad, two of which came in the Oranje’s recent tour of Asia, which saw him play in wins against China and Indonesia.
His potential move to Stoke, who only finished 13th in the Premier League, comes under a small cloud with Holland coach Louis van Gaal warning against the dangers of leaving a top four Dutch side in favour of relative mediocrity abroad.
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