This is Staffordshire --STOKE technical director Mark Cartwright is on a scouting mission at the European Under-21 Championships.
The assignments fits in with Stoke's desire to keep tabs on young players in Europe to get the best value for money in the transfer market.
However, Cartwright has stressed his assignment does not necessarily mean City manager Mark Hughes will be making offers this summer for some of the international starlets on show in Israel.
Instead, the club want to build up dossiers on potential signings so Hughes is fully briefed on the players and able to move quickly if he wants to sign them over the next couple of years.
Hughes will always make the final decision on signings, but Stoke want him to have the widest possible choice.
Cartwright says attending the Under-21 Championships has been an extremely useful exercise.
He said: "We had someone here last week and I have been here this week. It's definitely been worthwhile with a lot of the top young players in Europe playing in the same area.
"It is disappointing that England haven't done better, but youngsters with teams such as Holland and Spain have done incredibly well."
Stoke keeper Jack Butland played in two of England's three games as the side crashed out of the group stages after defeats to Italy, Norway and Israel."
Meanwhile, Stoke are set to announce a home friendly on the weekend before the August 17 start of the Premier League season.
Stoke would like to play the friendly on Saturday, August 10, but if Port Vale are scheduled to play a home league game on that date, then City will host the friendly on Friday evening, August 9.
Both the Football League and Premier League fixtures will be unveiled on Wednesday. Reported by This is 1 day ago.