With just days remaining until the new season starts, Stoke City are still chasing a new centre-back signing.

It is not necessarily the biggest priority, considering they currently have Ryan Shawcross and Bruno Martins Indi to start in central defence for them but the Potters are preparing for the possibility that Martins Indi might leave.

They also need strength in depth at the back and their back-up choices are young and inexperienced.

Stoke have been pursuing James Chester of Aston Villa and came close to signing him before the Villans were taken over by two billionaires, easing their financial woes.

Now that Aston Villa do not need to sell, Gary Rowett has conceded that his chances of signing Chester are unlikely.

It is time to look for other targets and Stoke need a player who is proven at Championship level.

The perfect partner for Shawcross could be Reading star Liam Moore, who has handed in a transfer request at the Madejski Stadium.

The former Leicester City man would prefer a Premier League move, with Brighton interested, but he has more chance of playing at Stoke and Rowett could sell him the project of winning promotion this season.

Moore has a better chance of going up with Stoke and then he would become a Premier League player again with another impressive season in the Championship under his belt.

The 25-year-old is still relatively young for a centre-back but has the physicality to cope with the demands of the division, including good pace and immense power.

Moore is strong in the air and a leader at the back, making him the perfect rounded centre-half for Stoke to target and provide a solution at the back.