Pulis quashes transfer talk

Van Nistelrooy: No truth in Stoke link

Stoke manager Tony Pulis has dismissed speculation concerning Ruud van Nistelrooy and Thomas Sorensen.

Dutch striker Van Nistelrooy has been linked with a January move after falling out of favour at Real Madrid.

Stoke are one of several clubs to have been linked with the former Manchester United star but Pulis has laughed off the transfer talk.

Asked if there was any truth in the rumours, he told Sky Sports News: "None whatsoever. It fills the back pages."

Potters goalkeeper Tomas Sorensen, meanwhile, claims to have attracted interest from a top European club and admitted a good offer would be hard to refuse.

However, Pulis maintains that nobody has contacted Stoke and he does not believe Sorensen is looking to leave.

"Thomas has trained yesterday and trained today and he has not said anything to me," he explained.

"You can't stop speculation but Thomas is under contract. If anybody wanted to sign Thomas they would have to speak to the football club."

Shawcross

Emerging centre-back Ryan Shawcross is another Stoke player to earn rave reviews this season but Pulis is eager to keep all his key men.

He nevertheless accepts that it would be naïve to think that the club could resist any approach.

"If someone comes in and offers an absolute fortune for Ryan Shawcross then that is the way it works - you have to look at it," he said.

Pulis is currently preparing his side for the Premier League clash with Fulham on Tuesday but he would like more of the big decisions to go Stoke's way at home.

Pulis believes the Britannia Stadium's famed raucous atmosphere is working against them when it comes to getting favourable judgements from referees.

He explained: "We could have had a lot more penalties that we haven't been given and that is a disappointment for me.

"I think we have been let down at times by decisions that have been very poor -especially at the Britannia where the crowd has a reputation for being very ferocious and referees [think they] have got to stand up to it.

"It is okay standing up to it but you still have to make the right decisions and I think at times that has certainly played a part in them not making the right decisions."