Mark Hughes has confirmed that Stoke City are closing in on the signing of Barcelona starlet Moha El Ouriachi.
The 19-year-old, who plays as a left winger for Barca’s Under-19 team but has yet to debut for the seniors, was said to have rejected a renewal in favour of an “irresistible” offer from the Potters by his agent earlier in the week.
“There is hope we will be able to conclude that deal. We’re trying to prove the quality of the Under-21 group,” the manager, who spent the 1986-87 campaign at Camp Nou, was quoted as saying at a Press conference by the Daily Express.
“He’s a good young player and we will try and pursue that one. We are very hopeful.
“He will be pushing to try and get into the main squad, we need more pushing from young players who are actively in the making.
“He’s predominately left footed, [has] good ability, good pace and ticks a lot of the boxes
"Right through the age groups we’re looking to increase the quality. We’re quite hopeful we can get him and push him towards the first team.
“He’s not one that will go straight into my team but hopefully that will happen in time.”
Moha, a Spain youth international of Moroccan descent, will be the third player to join Stoke from Barca since Hughes’ arrival in 2013, following Marc Muniesa and Bojan Krkic.
