Stoke City eyeing move for Quique if O'Neill bid fails

In the Premier League relegation zone, Stoke have sacked Mark Hughes and want Ireland boss Martin O'Neill but have lined up the Espanyol manager in case.

Update: 11 January 2018 15:16h CET

Quique Sánchez Flores’ foray into Premier League management with Watford in the 2015-16 season has not been forgotten and Stoke City are considering turning to the current Espanyol coach to lift them out of the relegation zone after the sacking of Mark Hughes in the wake of the FA Cup defeat against third-tier Coventry City.

Martin O'Neill top of Stoke's list

According to BBC Sport, Stoke have made Sánchez Flores their back-up target if a bid to bring in Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill fails, the main stumbling block to that eventuality being that O’Neill will insist on combining his international role with attempting to reverse Stoke’s fortunes.

The Premier League club are eager to get a new manager in place before January 15, when they travel to Old Trafford to take on José Mourinho’s Manchester United.

Sánchez Flores is under contract at Espanyol until the end of the current season, with the option of another year on the table if all parties agree.