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Stoke boss Mark Hughes is closing in on a £5million deal for AZ Alkmaar striker Aron Johannsson, writes Steve Bates of the Sunday People.

The USA international has been tracked by Stoke all season having scored 11 goals in 18 games in Holland this campaign.

Hughes believes 22-year-old Johannsson will be a quicker, more mobile option up front than Peter Crouch, who is expected to join Crystal Palace in the January transfer window.

And Johannsson is keen to test himself in the Premier League.

Johannsson, an Icelandic-American, came on as a sub for the USA against Scotland in November.

He played for Iceland's Under-21 side before opting to play for America.