Stoke City are hoping to move ahead of Aston Villa in the race to sign Charlton Athletic midfielder Joe Aribo.

The impressive midfielder has been instrumental in guiding the Addicks to the League One play-off final this season, but his contract is set to expire this summer, paving the way for a move into the Championship regardless of Charlton's result at Wembley today.

According to Nigerian news outlet AllNigeriaSoccer, via a report from the Stoke Sentinel, the Potters have already opened talks with the 22-year-old as they look to steal a march on their Championship rivals and snap up the young midfield star.

Aribo has already been linked with a move to the Championship with Aston Villa circiling, and having notched up 10 goals this season for Charlton, he won't be short of offers from around the English game if he does indeed decide to walk out on the Addicks.

Stoke are looking to rebuild after a disappointing season in the Championship which saw them fall well short of making the top six, and manager Nathan Jones is clearly targeting a different type of player to that the club has signed in recent times.

The likes of Lee Gregory and Adam Davies are expected to be confirmed as Stoke players soon, while Nick Powell could also join the club from Wigan Athletic.

The Verdict

Aribo is going to have a plethora of choices when the season is done, but Stoke might be a good one for him.

Nathan Jones is overseeing a change of attitude and style at the Potters, and Aribo could well have a key part to play going forward.

He's definitely got the talent, it's just a case of whether he fancies moving to the Bet365 this summer.