STOKE CITY have today given Uruguayan international Diego Arismendi a stepping stone to the Barclays Premier League . . . by agreeing to allow him to join Championship club Barnsley on a season-long loan.

The 22-year-old midfielder will follow in the footsteps of Britannia Stadium colleagues Ryan Shotton and Carl Dickinson, who both spent long spells on loan at Oakwell last season and certainly benefited from the experience.

Arismendi now gets the chance to make an impression at Championship level over an extended period after spending the final two months of last season with his fellow countryman Gus Poyet in a loan spell at Brighton.

City boss Tony Pulis, who stressed that the Uruguayan was "one for the future" when he was signed from Nacional at the end of August last year, believes that the move will help the player progress towards his goal.

"This is an excellent opportunity for Diego to play regular first team football and adjust to the demands of the English game which he needs to do if he wants to move up to the highest level," commented Pulis.

"We always knew it would take the kid time to settle in England and it was important not to expect too much too soon.

"But as well as this being a good chance for him to play regularly and show his true potential, it gives our coaches an opportunity to see him in action in a high standard of football so we can judge how well he is progressing."

Arismendi has so far made two first team appearances for City, both of them in the Carling Cup, but the limited number of reserve games mid-season made a loan move the better option as he joined Brighton in March.