Stoke City must break the bank to land Tottenham pair Wilson Palacios and Peter Crouch.
The Mirror says Tottenham want a staggering £20million for Crouch and Palacios - but the ambitious Potters are still closing in on the double deal.
Stoke manager Tony Pulis is willing to increase his offer to £18m to make the biggest swoop in his unfashionable club's history happen - and also help Spurs pay-off Crouch and Palacios and aid the problem of sorting their personal terms.
England striker Crouch is looking for around £70,000-a-week to join the Potters, whose current top-earner is on much less than that. Midfield workhorse Palacios is looking for a huge salary, too.
The pair would also have to be given settlements from Spurs - taken from the transfer fee - to make them go, but Stoke are now clear favourites in the hunt for both players.
