Football
PA Sport 9y

Mark Hughes keen to keep Peter Crouch at Stoke City in January

Stoke manager Mark Hughes will be only too happy to tell QPR boss Harry Redknapp to forget about signing striker Peter Crouch should he get a call when the transfer window reopens in January.

The 6-foot-7 frontman impressed on Saturday at Loftus Road, one of his former clubs, scoring at the start of the second half before a late free-kick from Niko Kranjcar secured a 2-2 draw for the home side.

Redknapp -- who managed Crouch at Portsmouth, twice, at Southampton and also at Tottenham -- makes no secret of his admiration for the 33-year-old former England striker. Hughes, though, insists Crouch remains an integral part of Stoke's forward planning.

"I think there was an enquiry [from QPR in the summer] and the people asked if he was available and I said no, and that was as far as it went,'' said Hughes. "Possibly, I would imagine so, yes [there might be another one in January].

Asked if QPR would received the same answer on Crouch's availability, Hughes replied: "Yes.''

Hughes sees no reason why Crouch cannot continue to lead the Stoke attack when needed, after ending 10 Premier League matches without a goal.

"On his day, given what he does and the role he is asked to do for us, Peter is as good as any,'' said Hughes. "Peter gives me a different type of option. I was trying in the summer to get different options up front and I think we did that.

"We have different types of player for different opposition, and I will mix and match, to try and get the combinations correct. If I do that then we'll have the right threats in the right games.''

Redknapp would love to get the chance to add Crouch to QPR's attacking options, which were depleted by the 8.5 million pounds departure of Loic Remy to Chelsea.

"You never know do you? I like Crouchy, he knows how to play,'' said Redknapp of the possibility of another reunion with the beanpole striker. "He is a bit like Bobby [Zamora], he knows what he is doing and brings people into play and is a threat.

"If you put a ball into the box, he is going to head it -- Crouchy is too tall to stop him.''

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