Football
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Stoke's Mark Hughes hopes Bojan deal helps lure Marko Arnautovic

Stoke boss Mark Hughes hopes Bojan Krkic committing his future to the club will help them in their ongoing contract negotiations with Marko Arnautovic.

The Potters on Thursday announced playmaker Bojan, previously on a deal ending in 2018, had signed a new one that will take him through to the summer of 2020.

There appears to have been difficulties in the Staffordshire outfit's discussions with another of their key men Arnautovic, however, with the forward last month reportedly rejecting an offer from them while holding out for one that would make him their highest-paid player.

Arnautovic's current contract runs out in 2017 and is reported to contain a £12.5 million buy-out clause that will become active when the final year of the agreement begins this summer.

Last week Hughes stressed his belief the Austria international is best off staying with Stoke.

And when asked on Thursday if the news about Bojan boded well for Arnautovic following suit, Hughes said: "I think it is a message to everybody that we have a lot to offer here.

"We are a side trying to progress, bring good players in and improve what we are capable of.

"When guys who have done well for me re-contract and commit once again, that is a message for everyone."

While Arnautovic was linked with Paris Saint-Germain last month, there was also talk of clubs being interested in Bojan.

But Hughes confirmed on Thursday no bids had come in for the latter, and said of the Spaniard's new deal: "I'm delighted we got it over the line.

"We all feel that, with him at 25, now he is going to be moving into the best years of his career and we are going to benefit by him being here and being a big player.

"He likes being here and what we are doing. We never felt at any point really there was any danger of him leaving."

Stoke on Saturday travel to Bournemouth having lost their previous three Barclays Premier League matches, all by a 3-0 scoreline.

Ryan Shawcross (back) and Geoff Cameron (ankle) are not yet ready to return to action, but Hughes is hopeful Jonathan Walters, sidelined last time due to a virus, will be available.

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