Stoke City are chasing Aston Villa striker Emile Heskey.

The Daily Mail says Tony Pulis will offer Heskey a route out of Villa Park, if he can shift two of his unwanted strikers.

Stoke City's boss has earmarked Heskey as a replacement for James Beattie and Dave Kitson and will end Heskey's unhappy second spell under Martin O'Neill.

The forward has only started a handful of games in the second-half of the season at Villa Park and may see a move to the Potteries as the fresh challenge he needs to put his career back on track.

With John Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor regarded as O'Neill's first-choice strike-force, a fee in excess of £2m should be sufficient to capture his services.