Pulis confident Shawcross deal will be signed

Stoke manager Tony Pulis expects skipper and central defender Ryan Shawcross to sign a new contract before Christmas.

Shawcross, who has 18 months to run of his current deal, has been linked with a move to Manchester United, Liverpool and QPR. He has been offered a new six-year contract and indicated after Saturday's win at West Brom that he has no desire to leave the Potters.

The 25-year-old's displays also paved the way into the England squad this season, making his debut against Sweden in Stockholm last month. Pulis said: "I don't think (Shawcross' contract) is going to be too much of a problem."

Copyright (c) PA Sport 2012, All Rights Reserved.