Stoke City goalie Asmir Begovic edges closer to Chelsea or Manchester United as transfer chain begins

Asmir Begovic looks increasingly likely to join Chelsea or Manchester United after Stoke City took another step towards signing a replacement for the Bosnian international.

Sky Sports understands that Shay Given is set to undergo a medical with Stoke, a deal which follows Mark Bunn's move to Villa Park after the expiry of his contract with Norwich City.

"I'm delighted to find myself working with Tony Parks again as he was the goalkeeping coach at Norwich City so he knows me really well," the ex-Northampton Town man told the club's official website.

"Aston Villa is a huge football club and this was too good an opportunity to miss out on.

"I'm looking forward to getting to know my new team-mates over in Portugal at our pre-season training camp and I can't wait to get started."

Given has a year remaining at Villa but spent three months on loan at Championship club Middlesbrough last term, before returning to play in the FA Cup final against Arsenal.

The ex-Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United stopper will join Jack Butland at Stoke, giving Mark Hughes two senior goalies to choose from going into the 2015-16 season.

That would allow Stoke to part ways with Begovic, who has travelled on the club's pre-season tour to Asia but is keen to play in the Champions League, with both Chelsea and Manchester United linked with a move for the 28-year-old custodian.

The Express reports that Given's move to Stoke will see Chelsea get the 'green light' to sign Begovic.

Petr Cech's departure to Arsenal means Chelsea are without a genuine deputy behind Thibaut Courtois. They are expected to add to the position before the window closes at the end of August.

However, The Independent have reported that United are ready to replace Real Madrid-bound David de Gea with Begovic, and gazump the Premier League champions with an £8m ($12.3m) bid.

United were given an insight into life after De Gea at the end of last season when Victor Valdes stood in when his compatriot counterpart went off injured in the penultimate game of the campaign against Arsenal, but he struggled in his first professional appearances for the team.