Mario Vrancic’s title-winning quality at Norwich City was why Stoke boss Michael O’Neill moved to recruit the Bosnian on a free transfer.

Vrancic left Carrow Road earlier this summer following two Championship title wins, and a showreel of sublime individual moments.

That is not lost on O’Neill, who is tipping Vrancic to help turn the Potters into promotion candidates.

“If you look at us as a squad at this minute in time, the three years we’ve had in the Championship, we’ve not been at the top end,” said O’Neill, quoted on Stoke-on-Trent Live. “The players that have come through or the players who have been here over a longer period, that’s the experience that they’ve had in the Championship.

“To bring someone in like Mario who has been promoted twice is a positive and hopefully we will see that in games.

“He’s a player that will get on the ball, he’s a player that will make your team play and maybe when they’re looking for something he can ignite it and bring a bit of something special to a game that lifts the performance.

“That was the reason and rationale behind bringing him to the club.”

Vrancic signed an initial one year deal earlier this month to remain in England after 123 league appearances in a four year stint after being unveiled as Daniel Farke’s first overseas Norwich City signing in 2017.