Liverpool winger Oussama Assaidi could soon be a permanent Stoke City player with a £7 million deal imminent.
Assaidi spent most of the 2013/14 season on-loan at the Britannia Stadium and flourished in Mark Hughes’ side.
He scored his first goal for the Potters during a League Cup match against Birmingham in October, and later scored crucial goals against Chelsea and Everton.
His season was disrupted though by injury when he suffered ligament damage during a training camp in Dubai, which forced him out of action between February and May.
He returned to score in a 4-1 victory over Fulham later in the season, with manager Mark Hughes wishing to pursue the permanent signature of the Moroccan international.
Now The Telegraph‘s John Percy says Hughes and Stoke are close to securing their target having “finally struck a breakthrough in his pursuit of the Morocco international and could complete the signing before the weekend.”
The fee is reported to be £7 million, with an initial payment of £4.5 million. He will become Stoke’s fifth signing of the summer.
Assaidi was signed by Liverpool in the summer of 2012, amid rumours he was favoured by then Director of Communications Jen Chang, but the now 25-year-old made just 12 appearances for the Reds.
Having been signed from Dutch club Heerenveen for just £2.4 million, Liverpool will be delighted they have made such a large profit on the Anfield flop.
Assaidi wasn’t in the squad as Liverpool got their pre-season campaign underway on Wednesday night with a 2-1 defeat at Brondby.
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