Stoke City are set to turn their attention away from Portsmouth's Matt Clarke as they look to bring in a centre-back in the summer window.

That's according to the Stoke Sentinel who claim that Brighton's interest, combined with Pompey's price tag for the League One means that a deal is unlikely.

The 22-year-old has been linked with a move to the Potters for a few weeks now with Kenny Jackett's side stuck in the third tier for another season after an impressive campaign.

However, as well as stating that Clarke is no longer a target, the report has revealed that Nathan Jones is lining up a move for a Premier League man.

Whilst they didn't reveal the name of the player, they state he is someone who has played in the Championship before.

The need for a centre-back is clear, with Ashley Williams having returned to his parent club following a loan spell and Bruno Martins Indi is another who could leave.

That means Ryan Shawcross and Danny Batth are the only senior options for Jones, although there is a few talented youngsters coming through including Harry Souttar and Nathan Collins.

The Verdict

You can't waste your time chasing a player if a deal looks unlikely so moving away from Clarke is a smart move from Stoke.

The reality is that even though he may struggle for game time, a move to Brighton will appeal more to the player as they're in the top-flight and it's sure to be a better financial offer too.

But, the fans will be pleased to see that Jones has other targets lined up and it will be interesting to see who they are in the coming weeks.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.