Stoke City are set to announce the appointment of new manager Mark Hughes.

Negotiations between the two parties have reached such an advanced stage over the past couple of days that an unveiling was looking imminent.

And sources close to the deal were not reporting any hitches after healthy progress on both sides, says The Sentinel.

Hughes, despite his problems at QPR, is seen as a safe pair of hands following last week's removal of Tony Pulis after seven seasons back at the Britannia Stadium.