STOKE midfielder Glenn Whelan is convinced his former team-mate Shaun Wright-Phillips would be a hit at the Britannia – if City can beat Bolton and QPR to his signature.
However, Bolton are reportedly waiting for the England international to decide whether to take a wage cut to join them after having a £2.5m offer accepted by Manchester City.
Wright-Phillip's wages of around £60,000 a week would also be too much for Stoke, who would hope to do a deal on his contract with the Eastlands club.
They are also likely to bank on the player taking a pay cut in order to play first-team football and increase his chances of adding to his 36 England caps.
Whelan came though Manchester City's academy with Wright-Phillips.
The winger was sold to Chelsea for £21m in 2005 before returning to Eastlands three years later for £9m.
Whelan said: "Shaun is a top player and would maybe be in the England side if he was playing a lot more.
"You don't go to Chelsea for as much as he did unless you are a good player.
"If he signed for us it would be great – but we'll wait and see who comes in.
"Ask anyone here and they will tell you the better the players who come in, the better it is for us because we will have to raise our game to stay in the team or get back in."
Whelan has no doubt that Wright-Phillips would be a popular member of the dressing room.
He added: "He's a top boy and a funny lad. We have a couple of jokers here and he would be another to add to the team."
Stoke are keen to bring in competition for their established wide-men Matthew Etherington and Jermaine Pennant as they try to deal with the dual demands of the Premier League and Europe.
Right-winger Pennant is an early doubt for Thursday's Europa League second leg against FC Thun at the Britannia having been forced off during the first half of Sunday's 1-1 draw at Norwich with a knee problem.
Stoke take a 1-0 lead into the Thun game as they try to qualify for the Europa League group stages.
Qualification would mean Stoke's squad would be tested by at least six more European games – but Whelan says City will embrace that challenge.
He said: "We want to play in Europe. People here and the players relish this, so we want to stay in it for as long as we can.
"If we get to the group stages we will be playing every second week, but the manager knows that and he is probably going to bring a few players in."
source: Thisisstaffordshire.co.uk
Stoke are interested in the 29-year-old as they try to bring in a winger before next Wednesday's transfer deadline.
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