Gary Penrice has joined the scouting team at Stoke City.

He joins a beefed up scouting network headed by Lindsay Parsons, Colin Dobson and director of football John Rudge.

City boss Tony Pulis told The Sentinel: "I think our supporters are well aware of some of the things that have happened in the past and it is my job to prevent any repeat in the future.

"We now have Gary Penrice working for us because he knows the foreign market really well.

"We have targets we're looking at and Gary is out and about with others looking at games in Europe and in this country, following up the recommendations of others."

Pulis has yet to spend serious money on a foreign import, but insists he is prepared to break new ground in his managerial career.

"If it's the right deal, we'll do it," he said. "But we will make sure we do as much homework as we can.

"You try to leave no stone unturned on any deal, but this club knows better than most that you have to be really careful the further afield you travel for new players."