Stoke turn to Ibrahim Afellay as talks stall over £14m swoop for Dynamo Kiev's Andriy Yarmolenko

ByDesmond Kane

Updated 27/07/2015 at 14:44 GMT

Stoke City are on the verge of signing Dutch winger Ibrahim Afellay on a free transfer with their audacious move for Andriy Yarmolenko apparently set to collapse.

Afellay is a free agent after leaving Barcelona at the end of last season, and will sign pending a medical according to reports.

He spent last season on loan at Greek club Olympiakos, and has won 50 caps for the Netherlands.

Stoke have been in talks with Dynamo Kiev about bringing Ukraine winger Yarmolenko to the Britannia Stadium, but talks have stalled in their quest to conclude a £14 million transfer.

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"My attitude has not changed," said Yarmolenko last week. "I have been with Dynamo since I was a child and they have raised me and made me the person I am today.

"I want my home club to get decent compensation (if I go). I still have another year on my contract and the negotiations with any potential buyers should go directly through Dynamo president Ihor Surkis.

"You may not believe me, but the financial side of any future deal is not critical.

"Money, of course, important, but much more important, no matter how corny it sounds, is the prospect of development and growth.

"Really it's about crying at the age of 30 if you have not had the chance to test yourself once in a serious championship."

Ukraine's Andriy Yarmolenko (L) celebrates (Reuters)

Image credit: Reuters

Afellay would be Stoke's sixth signing of the summer having already recruited Joselu, Philipp Wollscheid, Marco van Ginkel, Glen Johnson and Shay Given.

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