Stoke eyeing four new faces

The Potters were extremely active at this point in the transfer window last year, eventually tying up deadline-day deals for Peter Crouch, Cameron Jerome and Wilson Palacios, and they are currently being linked with a host of names, including Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tom Huddlestone and striker Michael Owen, who is a free agent after being released by Manchester United.

There are also reports suggesting Stoke is looking to sign Liverpool's Charlie Adam, and asked how many new players the Potters would ideally like to bring in between now and when the window closes, Kemp said: "Probably three or four if we were lucky.

"There is no guarantee, but it could be any number between zero and four - let's put it that way."

Quizzed about Scotland midfielder Adam, Kemp said: "I don't really want to discuss particular players, and he is not our player.

"He is a very good player, but so are lots of other people out there. If he becomes our player, or any other player comes, we can speak about them then."

On Huddlestone - who had last week looked set to complete a loan move to Stoke before speculation emerged that there had been problems with his medical - Kemp added: "I don't think there is that much progress with that at the moment, but that is not to say something won't happen between now and tomorrow night."

Kemp admitted the club would be looking to move some squad members out if players were coming in, although he was again reluctant to give away any specifics and stressed that there was 'nothing imminent' for the time being on that front.

Stoke has already recruited Michael Kightly, Geoff Cameron and Jamie Ness this northern summer, and is close to completing the signing of Rangers midfielder Maurice Edu after being given permission to finalise his work permit application.

United States international Edu has been a long-standing target for the Potters and last weekend agreed terms on a three-year deal and passed a medical.

The only hold-up was his work permit and, with the club confirming on its official website that the Football Association has given approval for it to proceed with that, the move looks set to go through.

Stoke has cautioned, though, that the 26-year-old is unlikely to be available for the weekend clash with Wigan Athletic owing to the timescales involved.

Edu is a 37-cap international for United States and spent four seasons with Rangers after a move from Toronto FC, winning three league titles with the Scottish club.

Kemp said: "He has been granted the work permit, but as usual, there are other bits of paper that have to be stamped and marked.

"He has another appointment tomorrow, I think with the Border Agency just to clarify that.

"But he has been granted the work permit, so hopefully we are very close to getting that over the line."

Stoke winger Matthew Etherington, recently sidelined by a hamstring problem, will have his condition assessed ahead of this weekend's contest having done some light running this week.

Ness looks certain to miss out due to the groin injury he sustained in the 4-3 Capital One Cup defeat to Swindon Town.