Osaze ready to shine

Osaze Odemwingie says he is not concerned about all the new arrivals at Stoke and is determined to battle for his place.

Odemwingie missed the vast majority of last season after suffering a serious knee injury but he did come back just before the end of the campaign as Stoke finished ninth in the table.

The Potters have strengthened this summer with Joselu arriving at the Britannia Stadium, while Mark Hughes admits the club are working hard to bring in another top class player.

It means competition for places will be stronger than ever but Odemwingie is up for the challenge.

“There is a lot of competition, but that only excites me. It means we are going to do well as a group,” he revealed.

“In my situation, there is a lot of expectation about coming back from injury. That’s probably not what I really need, but I am going to give my best.

“Knowing there are people who will do well means we are going to have a good season, secure our Premier League status again, and then go for the extras.

“We will all get game time. It’s rare for one player to be in top form all season. Some were good at the end, some were good at the beginning but everyone has his time to stake his claim and everyone has a part to play.”

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