Stoke's Imbula joins Rayo Vallecano on loan

Stoke City midfielder Giannelli Imbula will spend a second consecutive season out on loan after he joined LaLiga side Rayo Vallecano.

The 25-year-old made 28 appearances for Toulouse in Ligue 1 in 2017-18, scoring once as the club narrowly escaped relegation.

The former Marseille midfielder cost the Potters a club-record fee of £18.3 million when he joined from Porto on a five-and-a-half-year contract in 2016.

He made 26 Premier League appearances but fell out of favour with former Stoke boss Mark Hughes and has been deemed surplus to requirements at the bet365 Stadium this season under Gary Rowett.