Stoke City chief executive Tony Scholes has confirmed that Mark Hughes will be given full control over which players he signs this summer.

It had been reported that the new Potters manager would have to answer to a director of football, who would decide whom the club should pursue during the transfer window.

Scholes told the team's website: "The media started reporting that the club was looking to take a 'new direction' and those suggestions seemed to gather some momentum. As far as we're concerned, there is no new direction, we're very clear on how the club should be run.

"At Christmas-time, we appointed Mark Cartwright to head up our recruitment function because we thought there were areas we needed to improve upon. His job in running the recruitment department is to ensure that we have as much accurate information on the player market and what players may be available, in order to assist us and, in particular, Mark Hughes on what players we should try and recruit.

"Fundamentally, it will be Mark Hughes's decision on what players we recruit within the budgetary parameters that are set but there's no change of direction. Every player that comes into the Club will come in because Mark Hughes wants him to."

Hughes replaced Tony Pulis at the end of last month.