Boro duo in talks with Potters, says Boro manager Southgate

Championship side Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has confirmed that both defender Robert Huth and striker Tuncay Sanli are in talks with Premier League outfit Stoke City.

The Premier League side have agreed fees for both players, understood to amount to a total of around £11m, and the pair are in the Potteries for talks and to undergo medicals.

Southgate said: “The two clubs have agreed a fee and Robert is having talks with Stoke at the moment.

“Again, we have agreed a fee with Stoke City and the player (Tuncay) is in talks with them.”

Turkey international Tuncay has attracted interest from Cologne and Birmingham in recent days but the Potters have stolen a march on their rivals.

Pulis is a big fan of the hard-working Tuncay and will hold talks with the 27-year-old later on Thursday with the view to getting him signed before Saturday’s game against Sunderland.

Cologne’s interest in Tuncay is only on a loan basis although their assistant boss Umit Oozat is hopeful.

“Tuncay wants to come over to Cologne and this would be a big boost,” he told Express. “You could easily sell 50,000 strips with his name on.”