Stoke boss Mark Hughes is preparing a new contract for Peter Crouch and is sure the 37-year-old is nowhere near retirement.

The former England striker is the Potters' top scorer this season with four goals, despite being used almost exclusively from the bench.

His cameo at Brighton on Monday saw him set a new Premier League record for substitute appearances, with 143, but there is no sign of him winding down his top-flight career.

Instead, he has spoken of playing on until 40 and Hughes is happy to help with an extended stay at the Bet365 Stadium.

"I think people concentrate too much on his age, in terms of where he is in his career," Hughes told a press conference on Friday.

"It is a credit to him that he is playing at the level he is. I may be doing him a disservice saying he is 37, but he has at least two or three more years at this level. We will more than likely offer him another deal very soon. We would like to think that he will be here for a long time - I will probably speak to him today about it actually.

"Peter is an exceptional player and a great guy as well."