Former Barcelona winger Ibrahim Afellay has joined Stoke City on a two-year deal following the June expiration of his contract at the Camp Nou.
A product of the PSV Eindhoven youth system, Dutchman Afellay failed to nail down a first-team spot at Barca, and was released by the La Liga giants earlier this summer after four-and-a-half years with the club.
He has spent time on loan at Olympiacos and Schalke in recent seasons but was confirmed as Stoke's latest signing on Monday.
The 29-year-old Afellay's arrival at the Britannia Stadium will no doubt excite Stoke fans enormously as he could provide flair not usually associated with the Potters, per uMAXit Football:
— uMAXit Football (@uMAXitFootball) July 27, 2015
However, his arrival continues a trend at Stoke started by manager Mark Hughes of bringing in exciting attacking talents—Marko Arnautovic arrived in 2013 and Bojan Krkic last summer.