Stoke eye deal for Bentley

Stoke City have launched an ambitious raid to sign Spurs midfielder David Bentley on loan.

Potters boss Tony Pulis has been frustrated in the transfer market this season, but is hoping to lure the former Blackburn star to The Britannia Stadium on a season-long loan.



The 24-year-old held talks with Aston Villa earlier in the summer and Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is ready to listen to offers for the player although he would prefer to move the player out on a permanent basis.



Talks are understood to have taken place between Stoke officials and the player's representative and the Potters are hoping they can strike a temporary deal for the player.



Bentley's fall from grace has seen him lose his place in the England squad while his last Premier League start for Spurs was back in January.



The player, who signed from Blackburn for £16million last summer, was one of the flops of the season, but Pulis is convinced he can get the best out of Bentley.



Pulis, who has signed only midfielder Dean Whitehead this summer, has revealed his dismay with his close-season transfer activity.



"There are players we've been interested in for six or seven weeks and what their agents do is play the field and are not prepared to commit themselves," Pulis told the Stoke Sentinel.



"But I don't blame them, the agent or the player, because it's the way of the world."