Stoke City are edging ever closer to landing Mark Hughes' successor as the club are entrenched in advance negotiations with former Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores.
Flores, however, must first hold discussions over the terms of his exit at current club Espanyol which is likely to result in Eddie Niedzwiecki - the Potters' first-team coach - acting as the caretaker boss for the club's trip to Manchester United on Monday.
According to the Daily Mail, Stoke's vice-chairman John Coates and the chief executive Tony Scholes flew to Barcelona on Wednesday, which has resulted in offering Flores a five-year deal which they hope to officially get over the line this weekend.