Britannia Stadium side keen on Latvian.
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Stoke City are readying a £5million bid for Hamburg striker Artjoms Rudnevs, according to the Daily Mail.
The Latvian striker has emerged as a target for Mark Hughes as he has failed to bring in main striker targets Mame Biram Diouf and Nelson Oliveira. The German club are willing to sell Rudnevs for the right price, believed to be around £5million, to fund a move for flagging Everton striker Nikica Jelavic.
Hughes was particularly hopeful of bringing in Benfica striker Nelson Oliveira on loan this summer, but the player snubbed their interest to join French side Rennes, and Hughes was not best pleased. “We thought it would be a footballing decision” said Hughes, quoted in The Sun. “It seems to have been more about the money involved. That happens, I’m afraid, and you have to take it on the chin and move on.”
Manchester United flop Mame Biram Diouf is also subject to interest from Stoke, who are unwilling to meet the £6.9million asking price for the striker, who socred 18 goals in 36 games last season for German side Hannover. Hughes has now turned to the 25-year old Rudnevs to bolster his attacking options.
Hughes is looking for insurance for his current forwards, with both Peter Crouch and Cameron Jerome being linked with moves away from the Britannia. Crouch is a rumoured target for former club, and former manager Harry Redknapp, who has identified the England international as the perfect man to fire his side back into the Premier League.