Diao completes Stoke return

Salif Diao has completed his long-awaited return to Stoke City, signing an 18-month contract.

Midfielder signs until 2009

Salif Diao has completed his long-awaited return to Stoke City, signing an 18-month contract at the Britannia Stadium. The midfielder made 27 Championship appearances on loan last season before being released by Liverpool in the summer. Stoke have been keen to bring the Senegalese back to the club on a permanent basis and have spent several weeks trying to piece together a deal. Diao has now accepted a contract until 2009, much to the delight of Potters boss Tony Pulis.

Ambition

"Salif is a fantastic player and I am obviously very, very happy to have him back," Pulis told the club's official website. "He is the sort of player that this football club needs to push on and we have shown our ambition by bringing him here." Stoke chief executive Tony Scholes added: "I am absolutely delighted we have managed to agree a deal to sign Salif. "As supporters know, he has been Tony Pulis' top target for some months."