Stoke City are struggling to find a buyer for Wilson Palacios.
The Daily Star Sunday says Hughes is keen to move Palacios, 29 next month, out after learning the Honduras international is eating up a whopping £26,000 a week of the Potters' wage bill.
Palacios was signed from Spurs 2011 for £6million in 2011 but failed to start a league game last season.