Transfer talk: Potters poised to snap up striker Gudjohnsen

Gudjohnsen was close to joining West Ham (GETTY IMAGES)

The Stoke City manager, Tony Pulis, has endured a frustrating summer in the transfer market, but business at the Britannia Stadium could be picking up with the out-of-favour Monaco striker Eidur Gudjohnsen close to agreeing a season-long loan deal with the Potters.

The 31-year-old Iceland international spent the second half of last season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur and is set to move to Stoke before the transfer window closes tomorrow evening.

The West Ham United manager, Avram Grant, hopes the midfielder Scott Parker will still be at the club past tomorrow's 6pm deadline: "I do not want to sell Scott Parker and I expect him to stay." The Hammers' talismanic captain was the subject of a failed £7m bid from Tottenham in July, and Spurs could yet make a an improved last-minute offer.

One deal Grant hopes to conclude before the window shuts is the signing of the Ivory Coast defender Guy Demel from Hamburg. "West Ham have made an offer of £1.6m for Guy," the 29-year-old's agent, Saif Rubie, confirmed. "Whether it will be enough for Hamburg to do business with remains to be seen."

Paul Scharner, who left Wigan Athletic in May after his contract expired, is poised for a two-year deal with West Bromwich Albion. The Austrian midfielder, 30, watched the Baggies from the stands yesterday as they went down 1-0 to Liverpool at Anfield.

The French striker David Trezeguet has made a shock move to the newly promoted La Liga side Hercules after being released by Juventus. The 32-year-old was the highest-scoring foreign player to represent the Turin side, with 171 goals.