Stoke are on the verge of signing West Ham striker Carlton Cole in a deal worth £6 million. The England international has been linked with a number of Premier League club’s following The Hammers relegation to The Championship, and The Guardian reveal that Tony Pulis’ outfit are to pay £4.5 million up front, with £1.5 million payable on appearances and other add-ons.

The Midlands club are currently preparing for the 2011/12 season with a pre-season training camp in Austria, and the 27-year-old striker will join up with his new team-mates once a deal is completed. The potential transfer is likely to put an end to Stoke’s interest in Birmingham striker Cameron Jerome.

Meanwhile, West Ham have asked the Italian football federation to suspend former striker Alessandro Diamanti’s registration with Bresica, after the Serie A club failed to pay the latest instalment of the £2m transfer fee agreed in his August 2010 sale.

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“Due to the failure of Brescia to pay the latest instalment fee, West Ham have asked the FIGC (Italian football federation) to suspend the player’s registration and requested that the national association and Fifa impose sporting sanctions until the matter is resolved,” a statement from the club has read.