Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has revealed that Ibrahim Afellay is available for selection once again following an eight-month spell on the sidelines.
The 30-year-old suffered knee ligament damage in April and has missed 23 matches with the injury, although he returned to training in October and played for more than an hour for the club's Under-23 side last week.
The former Barcelona man could now be fit for the upcoming match against Liverpool at Anfield, but Hughes confirmed that Phil Bardsley and Geoff Cameron are still a couple of weeks away from fitness.
"Ibi played last Friday and came through the game strongly, so he is now back in the squad and available for selection. I am delighted he has come back as strongly as he has because he suffered a really bad injury. He looks like the old Afellay which is tremendous because usually when players come back they are a little apprehensive. I have no qualms including him now," Hughes told reporters.
"Bardo is still a couple of weeks away, although he is on track. When he did the injury it was going to be between five and six weeks.
"Geoff is still a number of weeks away. We've had a few setbacks in terms of the initial injury but he's got a schedule which is helping him and two to three weeks and he should be back."
Stoke, who currently sit 11th in the Premier League table, face a tricky double-header to see out 2016 with matches against Liverpool and Chelsea.
Barney Corkhill
