Stoke City manager Michael O'Neill has revealed that his club brought Will Smallbone in on loan after losing Nick Powell to injury.
Smallbone impressed for Southampton during pre-season, especially on their tour of Austria, and will now spend the season with Championship outfit Stoke.
The midfielder can play in a number of positions across midfield and it looks like he will replace former Manchester United midfielder Nick Powell in the starting line-up after he playmaker picked up a knee injury in a behind closed doors friendly at the start of the month.
“Will is another creative player; he’s an attacking midfield player who can play as a 10 and as an eight,” said O’Neill, via Stoke Sentinel. “We have an injury situation with Nick Powell, so we felt that we needed something in that area.
“John O’Shea knows him extremely well, and the opportunity to do it was there. He’s an exciting player that I think the fans will like – he scores and makes goals, and it was good to get that over the line.”
On his move to the former Premier League side, Smallbone said it was easy for him to leave Saints on loan due to the pull of the club and the positive things ex-Ireland defender John O'Shea said about Stoke.
"I'm buzzing to be here. From the moment that I found out that Stoke were interested, knowing Gavin [Kilkenny] and John [O'Shea] and speaking to them about the club, they've had nothing but good things to say. Once I knew there was serious interest, I was looking forward to coming."
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