Stoke City Close in on Oussama Assaidi

After weeks of back and forth negotiations and moaning to the press, it looks like Stoke City are finally ready to put the finishing touches on a deal that will see Liverpool winger Oussama Assaidi move to the Potteries on a permanent basis.

The Moroccan international impressed there on loan last season with a number of important goals endearing him to the hordes at the Britannia. Although the price  of £7mil the Reds slapped on the speedy attacker and the player’s fitness after being ruled out for a large portion of the second half of the season were early concerns in the transfer process, it looks like the two sides are now coming to compromise on a deal that suits everyone’s needs — well, almost anyway.

With Stoke unwilling to meet Liverpool’s valuation up front, it appears they’re moving towards a initial fee of £4.5mil with the potential to rise to the original asking price based on various performance clauses. The Potters had turned their attentions to Norwich City’s Nathan Redmond after the Anfield outfit refused to budge from their high valuation, but after seeing their bid of £3.5mil for the freshly relegated winger rebuffed, they returned to the bargaining table.

After sealing a £20mil move for Benfica attacker Lazar Markovic yesterday, Liverpool are hoping to raise additional funds from the sale of a number of players. Despite the windfall of cash they received from the sale of Luis Suarez to Barcelona, Reds boss Brendan Rodgers is looking to shift a number of players deemed surplus to requirements either out on a permanent basis — or in the case of misfit striker Iago Aspas — out on loan with a view to a permanent move. The two sides hoping that the deal for Assaidi can be completed by the weekend.