Stoke City's chairman Peter Coates has played down talk linking the Stoke with a move for Manchester United's Paul Scholes. Reports have suggested that Stoke are ready to offer a player-coach role at the club.

"I know nothing about it and neither does (chief executive) Tony Scholes. I haven't spoke to Tony Pulis yet, but I doubt he knows anything about it either," Coates told the Stoke Sentinel.
"I spoke to Tony on Thursday and we discussed nothing of that kind. We know what players we are looking for and who we want.
"When I speak to Tony, we talk about players coming in and players going out. I don't know where this story has come from, but there is no substance to it."