Stoke City have completed the signing of Oussama Assaidi on a season-long loan from Liverpool, as back-up for the injured Nigeria international forward Osaze Odemwingie.
Odemwingie is set to face a long spell on the sideline amid fears he has damaged his cruciate knee ligament, according to media reports.
The 33-year-old collapsed with nobody around him at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and was stretchered off the pitch.
Manager Mark Hughes had earlier downplayed the severity of the injury, but moved swiftly on transfer deadline day to see through
a second successive loan move for the Moroccan winger.
Stokes chairman Peter Coates told BBC Radio 5 live “We didn’t expect to be doing anything (on transfer deadline day) but Peter Odemwingie got injured and Mark [Hughes] wanted someone to fill that position.”
#AssaidiReturns Stoke City are delighted to welcome Oussama Assaidi back to the Potteries on a season-long loan deal pic.twitter.com/lalgE98qGK
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) September 1, 2014
Assaidi impressed at the Britannia Stadium in his previous loan spell, scoring 4 times in 19 Premier League matches. His parent club are believed to have received a £1m loan fee for the 26-year-old.
Coates added. “Oussama was with us last season and we liked him very much.”
