Speaking to the national press in England before Stoke City take to the pitch against Leicester City in the third round of the Emirates FA Cup, manager Michael O'Neill has insisted that Oghenekaro Etebo has to see out his loan spell at Turkish outfit Galatasaray amid speculation linking the midfielder with a return to the bet365 Stadium this month.
In truth, Etebo's stint at the Lions has not gone as planned due to injury, with the Nigeria international making just five starts from a possible 20 in all competitions.
O'Neill says there is no truth in reports emanating from the Turkish press that Etebo will cut short his loan spell, confirming an exclusive report by allnigeriasoccer.com a month ago that the midfielder is staying put at Galatasaray for the rest of the 2020-2021 campaign.
"It’s definitely a rumour! The players who are out on loan are out on loan for the season and that won't change," O'Neill told reporters when asked to confirm if Etebo might return in January.
"It was what they wanted at that period in time. They made that decision and we made that decision as a club. Maybe because the loan hasn’t gone well, you can’t just decide you want to come back. It doesn’t work like that.
"We don’t envisage any of the loan players who are currently at various clubs returning to Stoke in January".
"It was what they wanted at that period in time. They made that decision and we made that decision as a club. Maybe because the loan hasn’t gone well, you can’t just decide you want to come back. It doesn’t work like that.
"We don’t envisage any of the loan players who are currently at various clubs returning to Stoke in January".
Since joining Stoke City from CD Feirense in 2018, Etebo has appeared in 51 official matches and spent time on loan at La Liga side Getafe in the second half of last season.
Ifeanyi Emmanuel
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