Mark Hughes plotting £15million Andros Townsend bid to replace Marko Arnautovic
Sparky sold fan favourite Arnautovic to West Ham last month in a £24m deal and needs a replacement
MARK HUGHES is readying a £15million bid for Andros Townsend to replace Marko Arnautovic.
Stoke boss Sparky sold fan favourite Arnautovic to West Ham last month in a £24m deal — and needs a quality replacement as a matter of urgency.
Palace winger Townsend moved to Selhurst Park for £12m last summer when ex-boss Alan Pardew triggered his Newcastle release clause.
But the former Tottenham man took time to find his rhythm in South London and was linked with a swift return to St James’ Park in January.
Since then the 26-year-old has settled down and impressed as a wing-back during the Asia Trophy pre-season tournament in Hong Kong under new chief Frank de Boer.
But Hughes is hoping he can persuade De Boer to sell Townsend — capped 13 times by England — as he looks to compensate for the loss of experienced frontmen Jon Walters and Arnautovic.
The Stoke boss feels he has an exciting raw talent in Ramadan Sobhi.
But his raw Egyptian left-winger, 20, lacks consistency.
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And after the Potters ended up 13th last term, their first bottom-half finish in four years, Hughes knows he needs to strengthen his squad.
Xherdan Shaqiri provides class and know-how on the right but has been injury-prone.
Hughes loves the fact Townsend can operate on either flank, providing him with crucial pace and options up front.
The Welshman is ready to bid just below Stoke’s record transfer fee of £18.3m, which he paid for Porto midfielder Giannelli Imbula.
Townsend was a product of the Spurs youth set-up and made his senior debut for the North Londoners back in January 2011.
But he had nine loan spells away from White Hart Lane — eight in the Football League and one at QPR as they were relegated from the Prem.
Townsend went on to make 93 appearances for Spurs before his January 2016 move to Newcastle.
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