PULIS REFUSES TO RULE OUT REDS DUO

Pulis - looking to make signings.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis has refused to rule out swoops for Liverpool's Sami Hyypia and Jermaine Pennant as he lines up his final summer deals.

Pulis has got a healthy list of target going into the final few days of the transfer window, with strengthening in defence, midfield and attack on his mind.

Liverpool veteran Hyypia has already been the subject of one failed £2.5million bid but the Reds are believed to be willing to let him leave to fund their own last-gasp transfer action.

They are also looking to offload Pennant and have turned down on offer of around £3.5million from Blackburn. Paul Ince could yet up that bid for the 25-year-old but Stoke are reported to have made the first move with a joint £7.5million offer for him and Hyypia.

It is unclear how close that is to the Reds' valuation but Pulis was at Anfield on Wednesday night and did not deny his interest in the pair when quizzed the following morning.

He did, however, admit that he wants to get players in before the deadline. He told Sky Sports News: "We've been trying for ages to get players in. Obviously it's getting closer to the deadline, but I keep saying to everyone if we'll do business we'll do business with other clubs, we won't do in the media.

"I think the most important thing is we try and do our business in the right and proper manner.

"If we can do deals we'll do deals. I keep saying there are three parties involved and you have to get them to agree. That's the way it works."

Pulis would not be drawn on any of his targets but will seemingly turn to Danny Higginbotham if he cannot persuade Hyypia to move to the Britannia.

He is free to leave Sunderland after they signed Anton Ferdinand and City will head off Wolves should they firm up their interest in their former skipper with a bid.

Meanwhile Pennant is joined on his list of wing targets by Haminu Dramani and Kanga Akale.

City will find out on Thursday whether they are able to sign Lokomotiv Moscow star Dramani and will quickly move for Lens forward Akale if they cannot.

Pulis could also revive a bid for Valencia frontman Nikola Zigic before the weekend as he seeks another striker to add to his first-team pool.

The Serbia international is expected to make a move to the Premier League before Monday's transfer deadline and Stoke's interest has not yet been matched by any of the other interested parties.