Stoke City wants to sign West Ham's Carlton Cole & Tottenham defender Jonathan Woodgate

The Potters' chief admits that the Premier League club are in negotiations with the duo claiming that they are prepared to "take a risk" with Woodgate, despite his injury record

Stoke City chairman Peter Coates has confirmed that the club are in talks to sign West Ham striker Carlton Cole and former Tottenham defender Jonathan Woodgate.

On friday Potters had beaten QPR in the race to sign £6 million-rated England attacker Cole and Coates has now suggested that the deal is close to completion.

"Cole's a player the club is interested in and Tony Pulis has liked him for a long time, we think he's a very good player," he said, as quoted by Sky Sports.

"It's not done and dusted but it's work in progress.

"He's a player the club is interested in and Tony Pulis has liked him for a long time, we think he's a very good player."

The Stoke chairman also confessed that the Premier League club are in negotiations with Jonathan Woodgate, who was released by Spurs last month, insisting that, despite his past injury problems, the Potters are willing to take a risk in taking him to the Britannia Stadium.

"We're working on that and it's something we're prepared to do," Coates added.

"It's work in progress but we're taking a risk. We hope we'll be able to do something."