Xherdan Shaqiri is set to join Stoke City from Inter Milan for £12 million.

“We had conversations and I went out to meet the boy,” Hughes told the Stoke Sentinel in July. “We were able to have good conversations but in the end it wasn’t to be. It was important we were able to establish that enthusiasm to sense from the player and his people.

“We got to a point where didn’t sense that. As far as I’m aware [it’s dead]. We may revisit it but if I’m honest it’s probably one that has gone away from us.”

Shaqiri, formerly of Bayern Munich, has also been linked with a return to Germany with Schalke recently while Everton and Newcastle were also reportedly interested in his signature.