Quique Flores quiet on Stoke City job offer

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 12 January 2018

Quique Flores admits to being "frustrated" by a lack of progress at Espanyol, but refuses to discuss recent links with the Stoke City managerial job.

Espanyol boss Quique Flores has refused to confirm whether he has been approached to take over as manager of Stoke City.

The 52-year-old, who spent one season in the Premier League with Watford before being replaced in 2016, is said to be the Potters' top target to succeed Mark Hughes.

Flores's reputation has only grown after guiding Espanyol into the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey with victory over Levante on Thursday night, but the Spaniard has offered little indication that he is ready to quit.

"I'm not going to talk about me on such an important day for Espanyol," he told reporters after the match. "It's a day for Espanyol, for the club, for the players, it's a day to celebrate for having qualified for the quarters.

"I don't want to talk about me, but to enjoy these moments. I want to continue being happy with my profession. I'm very grateful to Espanyol, I've been frustrated sometimes because we haven't advanced as fast as desired, but that's because Espanyol haven't been able to, not because they haven't wanted to.

"Right now we're not thinking about anything other than today's game and Sunday's match against Athletic [Bilbao]."

Stoke have reportedly asked Flores to make a decision by the end of Friday, or else they will turn their attention to Republic of Ireland coaching duo Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane.