• Striker would cost initial £4m, plus further £2m in add ons• Stoke chairman Coates hopeful of agreeing personal termsStoke City have agreed a fee with West Ham United for striker Carlton Cole. The 27-year-old England international is currently in Switzerland with the Hammers squad for a pre-season training camp but is set to hold talks with Stoke's manager, Tony Pulis, upon his return.The Potters chairman, Peter Coates, told Sky Sports News: "We have agreed terms with West Ham, that's done. Now it's a case of can we agree terms with Carlton?"Cole joined West Ham from Chelsea in July 2006 and has scored 42 goals in 165 appearances. But he found the net just five times in the Premier League last season and is now poised to move on in the wake of the Hammers' relegation. The fee is believed to be an initial £4m with a possible further £2m in add-ons.Coates admits this is not the first occasion Stoke have attempted to sign Cole but is hoping this time a move will come to fruition."We come from two different places. He has got an injury problem – he has always had that – and that is a risk you take so we have to factor that in," he said. "But he is a good player and Tony has always liked him. Manager's like different players but Tony has always liked him."I think we've tried to sign him around three times over the past few years without succeeding so maybe we will get somewhere this year."The team [West Ham] is still away at the moment. They come back Thursday this week, I think. Tony likes to be around for these things. Now we've done a deal with the club it really needs his input with the player because he likes to talk to them and make sure they are on board, and he is on board and everything is OK from his point of view."The former Chelsea striker could become the next high-profile departure from the relegated Hammers after his fellow striker Demba Ba joined Newcastle United.Queens Park Rangers are also thought to be monitoring Cole's availability.Stoke CityTransfer windowWest Ham Unitedguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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