SWANSEA City are understood to be preparing an offer for Stoke target man Kenwyne Jones.
Stoke chairman Peter Coates says his club are under no financial pressure to sell players during the transfer window.
However, a bid from Swansea could test Stoke's determination to keep the striker who is competing with Peter Crouch for a place in Tony Pulis's side.
Jones has started Stoke's last seven Premier League games having taken his chance when Crouch was injured.
Aston Villa and QPR have also been linked with Jones, who cost £8m from Sunderland in 2010 and is under contract until the summer of 2014.
The Potters are understood to be refusing to loan out the 28-year-old, leaving Swansea considering an offer to buy him instead.
Sunderland want to sign Swansea striker Danny Graham and Jones is believed to be the Swans' preferred choice as a replacement.
Coates was unwilling to comment on individual players, but said City would only consider sales if the deals strengthened the club in the long term.
He added: "If we did make changes then we would try to make them on the basis that they improve what we have got. We are not under any pressure to sell."
The chairman is not anticipating a busy January. He said: "You never know what might turn up, but I wouldn't expect us to be over active.
"There is nothing imminent. We are very pleased with the business we did in the summer and things will only happen if we think they are right for us."
Stoke may have clinched their most important deal of the season last week when captain Ryan Shawcross signed a new five-and-a-half year contract.
Coates added: "Ryan is an important player for us. It was a long, drawn-out process, but we got there in the end.
"He and Robert Huth are very much a central part of the team. People say you build from the back, and we have a very good centre-back pairing and goalkeeper."
STOKE will face a 12.45pm kick-off against Manchester City, if they can beat Crystal Palace in next Tuesday's third-round FA Cup replay at the Britannia Stadium. Stoke or Palace will entertain City live on ITV on Saturday, January 26.