Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has revealed that striker Peter Crouch is likely to need a hernia operation.

The 34-year-old has not started a game in April and it has been revealed that the forward has been absent from a number of training sessions.

"Pete's been struggling for a few weeks," The Express quotes Crouch as saying. "We've been managing him in training and games. He will always put his hand up but at the moment he is best served coming on and trying to make an impact.

"To start games is more of a worry as you are looking at him to do at least 65-70 minutes and at the moment he's probably not up to that, but he came on against Southampton and really affected the game in a positive manner. The likelihood is he probably needs a hernia operation."

Crouch has been linked with a move to A-League side Newcastle Jets, but the striker's teammate Charlie Adam has rubbished the reports.