Source: Team_Talk
Pulis closing in on new signings
Stoke boss Tony Pulis has revealed he could have "a couple" of deals completed by Monday as he targets five ahead of the transfer deadline.[LNB] Stoke have brought in Kenwyne Jones and Jon Walters so far this summer but Pulis is on the lookout for up to five more before Tuesday's deadline as a number of players prepare to exit the club.[LNB]Portsmouth captain Marc Wilson could be the first arrival - Dave Kitson and Liam Lawrence are currently in talks with the south-coast club over a part-exchange deal - and Pulis is closing on other targets too.[LNB]"We are close to bringing quite a few players in and we're hoping by Monday that we might have signed a couple and will be well down the line on others," he said.[LNB]The departure of Dave Kitson will reinvigorate Pulis' search for at least one striker, while Lawrence's exit is likely to leave the Welshman looking for an extra wide player.[LNB]Wigan's Hugo Rodallega could fill both of those roles, while Cardiff's Jay Bothroyd has also been muted as a possible target. Pulis is also looking for a second midfielder player and may even find himself looking for a goalkeeper if an acceptable offer is made for Asmir Begovic.[LNB]The Bosnian - linked with a move to Chelsea this summer - looks set to face disciplinary action following his absence from the Potters' 2-1 victory over Shrewsbury in the Carling Cup on Tuesday, with Pulis claiming afterwards that the 23-year-old had refused to play.[LNB]Yesterday the Professional Footballers' Association revealed Begovic subsequently contacted them saying that he did not refuse to take part in the match, but had indicated, when asked by Pulis if he was 100% fit and ready to play, that "his mind was a little bit scrambled by things" and that he would prefer not to if there was an alternative.[LNB]That does not seem to have improved the Bosnian's position with his manager though, who today said the matter would be dealt with internally and vowed Stoke would not be pressurised by the kind of external influences he believes need to be put under the spotlight.[LNB]"There has always been and there always will be an element of skulduggery going on behind the scenes," Pulis said.[LNB]"For anyone to say that doesn't happen, people are telling lies - there is always that going on.[LNB]"You can't stop it from happening, but what I think you have got to do is identify it and make sure that it is exposed so that people are shown to be doing what they are doing.[LNB]"There are people behind the scenes who no-one will have even spoken to who are involved in this situation."[LNB]Meanwhile, Pulis is hopeful Kenwyne Jones (ankle) and Liam Lawrence (groin) could return from injury this weekend against Chelsea. Mamady Sidibe is a long-term absentee, although Pulis revealed the striker may be able to return from his ruptured Achilles tendon by Christmas.
