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Stoke City have begun the job of re-building their battered defence by signing Austrian international defender Moritz Bauer for around £5m from Russian outfit Rubin Kazan.

The 25-year-old right-back has signed a four-and-a-half year deal and could make his debut against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday.

The deal was put in place while Mark Hughes was still manager and the club has decided to press ahead despite failing to name his successor yet.

Chief executive Tony Scholes, speaking in the absence of any manager, said: “Moritz is a player we have been trailing for some time and was someone Mark Hughes wanted to bring into the club.

“Moritz came over to England last week to undergo his medical and discuss terms and we have now been able to conclude his transfer.

(Image: Getty)

"He's a very highly-regarded player who broke into the Austrian senior side last year and he adds to the defensive resources at our disposal."

Bauer was born in Switzerland but has an Austrian father.

His club career began with Grasshoppers of Zurich before moving to Russia to play for Rubin in 2016.

He played youth internationals for Switzerland, but chose Austria for his senior international career and is a current team-mate of former Stoke City favourite Marko Arnautovic.

He made his senior international debut last September and has since played a further three times for Austria.

Regarded as an attacking full back, he played a total of 41 times in all competitions for Rubin in 2017.

His arrival would appear to spell the end of Tom Edwards' current run in the first team after the 18-year-old youth product graduated through the ranks to play seven times, including the last five.