Stoke City boss Tony Pulis is eager to close a deal for Houston Dynamo defender Geoff Cameron.
Cameron can operate in a variety of positions, an ability which manager Pulis hopes will come in useful as he adapts to life in the Barclays Premier League.
He said: "He will give us plenty of options. He can play at centre-back, across midfield and even at full-back as well.
"With the squad that we have, it's always useful to have players who are versatile, so in that sense he will be a good asset for the club.
"We believe that he is a player who can cope with the Premier League because he has done exceptionally well over the past year.
"We have watched him a few times, but he also comes with great recommendations from many who consider him one of the top players in the MLS."