Mark Hughes hoping for star signing

Liverpool and Tottenham were said to be interested in the goal-scorer, but the Mirror report that it is Stoke who lead the race to secure his signature.

Stoke boss Mark Hughes neither confirmed nor denied Konoplyanka was a target when asked on Saturday, although he did admit he was the quality of player the club hopes to make their final signing of the summer transfer window.

Dynamo Kiev coach Sergiy Rebrov has told Andriy Yarmolenko he’s too good for Stoke City.

However Hughes is keen to add some star quality to his ranks next term and Yarmolenko would certainly fit the bill, having impressed on either flank for club and country over the years.

“We’re still hopeful we can get a player of top, top quality – if we can do that we’ll probably be done”, he told BBC Sport.

On Yarmolenko, a 25-year-old Ukraine worldwide, Hughes said: “He’s the level of player we would like to bring in if we can”.

He was also snubbed by Chelsea with an attempt to sign Victor Moses, who was on loan at the Britannia Stadium, last season, and is now trying to invest that money elsewhere.

“We haven’t hit the highs that we will do in the season because we’re still coming together as a group”, the Welshman added.

Hughes admitted that the club have “missed out on a couple of players that we haven’t been able to get over the line”, but the former Manchester United, Chelsea and Barcelona striker is eyeing a strong start to the 2015-16 season following their Barclays Asia Trophy appearances in Singapore.

“If we can manage to do that then I would suggest that our business would be done for the window”.