Stoke City are closing on Standard Liege starlet Thibaut Verlinden. The 15-year-old midfielder is a highly regarded member of Belgium's U16 squad and has had trials with Liverpool and Everton. Club Brugge and Anderlecht have also expressed an interest but Verlinden, whose father Dany used to be a goalkeeper, is poised to sign on July 9 when he turns 16. Thibaut Verlinden (right), in action for Belgium against England U16s, looks to be joining Stoke City . Stoke manager Mark Hughes has also persuaded Barcelona's 19-year-old winger Mohamed El Ouriachi to join this summer. Hughes said: 'We are trying to improve the quality of the under-21s to get more young players knocking on the door of the first-team squad. That's our intention.' Stoke retain an interest in Sunderland's Lee Cattermole whose contract talks have been put on hold until their Premier League fate is resolved. Mohamed El Ouriachi competes for the ball for Barcelona, and is set to join Stoke this summer .
Belgian 15-year-old star  has had trials at Liverpool and Everton . Thibaut Verlinden will join Stoke when he turns 16 in July . Mark Hughes will also sign Moha El Ouriachi from Barcelona this summer .