Stoke City chairman Peter Coates says their pursuit of new Inter Milan signing Xherdan Shaqiri was not in vain.

The Potters' interest in the 23-year-old Bayern Munich winger was always a long shot - and he has since agreed a deal to join Italian giants to Inter Milan.

"We are trying to get good players in, obviously, whoever they may be," Coates told The Sentinel.

"Some you get, some you don't. You make 10 inquiries and one might come your way, but it's the same for everybody."