Pulis: Ba deal not done

17 January 2011 11:30

Stoke manager Tony Pulis has confirmed the door has not closed completely on a potential deal for Demba Ba.

A £6million move for the Hoffenheim striker appeared to have collapsed at the weekend after the Senegal international failed a medical. But Pulis is refusing to throw in the towel on the 25-year-old and may yet pursue a deal before the transfer window closes at the end of the month should Ba's injury not be too serious.

"It is important to stress it fell through because of a problem with one of his legs," Pulis told BBC Radio Stoke. "If our club doctor has said it's going to take three, four or five months to settle down, I don't see any point doing a deal. But if it's weeks, who knows? It might be right to do it."

Hoffenheim, however, are refusing to entertain the idea of a loan deal, even though they have confirmed Ba is unlikely to ever play for the club again.

Speaking to the Heilbronner Stimme newspaper, Hoffenheim general manager Ernst Tanner said: "The Stoke manager is desperate to land Demba Ba.

"The failed medical by Demba appears to me just an element of show in the whole transfer saga. Stoke are so keen on Demba they have now come up with a proposal to sign Demba Ba on loan.

"This is certainly nothing we are going to agree to, but we will continue to stay in touch with Stoke.

"It's a fact we had everything done with Stoke regarding a transfer before Demba Ba failed the medical."

Regarding Ba's future at the club, Tanner added: "We are certain in our viewpoint Demba Ba is not going to play for us anymore.

"We will be sitting down today (Monday) to discuss which strategy will be pursued by us in the forthcoming aspects of this affair."

Source: PA