Stoke failed in Cuellar bid

Pulis reveals club 'came close' to landing new Villa signing

By James Dall   Last updated: 13th August 2008

Carlos Cuellar

Cuellar: Former Stoke target

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Stoke City boss Tony Pulis has revealed the club 'came close' to signing Carlos Cuellar from Rangers.

Spanish defender Cuellar completed his £7.8million transfer to Aston Villa on Tuesday, penning a four-year contract with his new club.

However, Pulis has confirmed that Stoke were in the running to land the 26-year-old's services before they lost out to their Premier League rivals.

"Yes, we did come close to signing Rangers star Carlos Cuellar," Pulis told The Sentinel.

"We did make inquiries and I was more than confident. But once you hear that a club of Villa's size are in for him big time you clearly fear the worst.

"Of course it's disappointing, but there is no point dwelling on it. We are out there not just looking, but making serious attempts to bring new faces in.

"No-one needs to tell me what we need and when we need it by, but I will not be panicked into doing the wrong deals for this football club. And by wrong I mean in a footballing and financial sense."

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