Oussama Assaidi has spoken of his gratitude towards Stoke City for keeping faith with him despite his recent injury troubles.
The on-loan Liverpool man has spent most of 2014 in the treatment room after damaging the cruciate ligament in his right knee blocking a Charlie Adam shot in training.
A meniscus problem in the same joint meant that he had to spend the four months since then in rehabilitation, with Potters boss Mark Hughes having to ease him back in slowly.
"My first target for this year is not to be injured," Assaidi is quoted as saying by the Stoke Sentinel. "If I'm not injured I know I can get a lot of games and then I want to show what I can really do.
"I was unlucky after working hard to come back from injury last season. I played very well as a sub against Cardiff and then against Fulham then I got this injury.
"But I'm very happy that the manager and everyone here wanted me even when I was injured. I felt appreciated and I'm really pleased to be back."
Assaidi only has 12 Premier League starts to show for his two years since leaving Dutch side Heerenveen for England.
Phil Archbold
