WINGER Jermaine Pennant has something to prove at Stoke City... after a loan move earlier in the season at Staffordshire rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers.
After starting in the home games against Arsenal and Swindon Town at the beginning of 2012/13, he hasn't pulled on the red and white stripes since what with his spell at Molineux, which warranted 15 appearances for the former Arsenal man.
Pennant has been at the Britannia Stadium since turning a loan move from La Liga side Real Zaragoza permanent in January 2011.
Having initially impressed in Spain, the 30-year old failed to settle and welcomed the chance to move back to the UK, despite making 27 appearances for the side.
Jermaine showed his talents at a very young age which prompted Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger to fork out £2 million to Notts County for his services at the tender age of 15.
The starlet didn't have to wait long to make his Arsenal bow as he featured in their Carling Cup clash against Middlesbrough - becoming the Club's youngest ever player in the process at the age of 16 years and 319 days.
In what was Jermaine's first full start for the Gunners, he scored a memorable hat-trick as they romped to victory against relegation threatened Southampton. However, with Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ running riot in the Premier League, he found further opportunities difficult to come by, and went out for loan spells at both Watford and Leeds United.
He was subsequently allowed to join newly promoted Birmingham City on a year-long loan deal, where he impressed sufficiently for the Blues to agree a permanent deal in the summer of 2005.
Liverpool was his next port of call as boss Rafael Benitez swooped to sign the winger in the summer of 2006 after Birmingham’s relegation, and he went on to make his Anfield debut in their Champions League victory against Maccabi Haifa - a game in which he was named as man of the match.
This was the start of an enjoyable season for Jermaine, who endeared himself to the Liverpool supporters with consistent performances on the right hand side of midfield. The following campaign, however, wasn’t as successful and he was farmed out to Portsmouth for another loan spell.
Following the end of his five month stint on the south coast, Jermaine returned back to Liverpool, only to be told that his contract wasn’t to be extended. He opted for a new adventure abroad soon after by completing his move to Spain.