Mark Hughes is facing the prospect of losing Wilfried Bony in January after it emerged he has a release clause which allows him to be sold to clubs in China.

Telegraph Sport has learned that Manchester City insisted on a clause which allows any club in the cash-rich Chinese Super League to buy Bony outright when their transfer window opens in the New Year.

Bony signed on loan for the season at Stoke on deadline day after the two clubs agreed a compromise on his £125,000 a week wages, with the Ivory Coast international understood to have no future under Pep Guardiola.