Stoke City manager Gary Rowett has stressed that veteran striker Peter Crouch still has a crucial role to play at the club.

The 37-year-old has been at Stoke since 2011 but has slipped down the pecking order over the past 12 months as the Potters suffered relegation to the Championship.

Crouch has been linked with a move to Burnley in recent days, but Potters boss Rowett wants to retain the services of the former England forward.

"Crouchy is certainly not one of those players we want to lose," Rowett told Sky Sports News.

"He is the type of guy you want around the group. He has obviously played in the Championship before so he knows what it is about. He is a Premier League quality striker and he is such a different option to have. We all know of his aerial ability.

"I remember playing against him when he was a young player at Portsmouth and he has got great feet. He has got a great appreciation of the game as well and he is still as enthusiastic as any young player. He is not only the type of player you want in your squad but also he will be very valuable this season."

Crouch, who has enjoyed a fruitful career with the likes of Southampton, Portsmouth, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, has one year remaining on his Stoke contract.