Josh Maja: Stoke City seal signing of Nigeria star from Bordeaux

Stoke City have completed the signing of striker Josh Maja on deadline day from French Ligue 1 club Bordeaux.

The EFL Championship side has revealed the arrival of the 23-year-old Nigeria player on a loan deal and he will spend the remainder of the season at the bet365 Stadium, after receiving his international clearance.

Maja becomes the fifth signing for the Potters after Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Phil Jagielka, Lewis Baker, and Jaden Philogene-Bidace.

Stoke coach Michael O’Neill has revealed why he signed Maja.

“Josh [Maja] will bring a different dimension to our attacking options and I’m really pleased that we’ve held off competition from a number of other clubs to secure him,” O’Neill told the club’s official website.

Meanwhile, Maja, who has an option to make the transfer permanent in the summer, has explained why he decided to sign for the Potters.

“It was the ambition and admiration that the coaching staff have for me here,” Maja told the same portal. “They showed a big interest in me and did a very good job convincing me to take the opportunity to come here.

“Also, the long-term mindset. Obviously, it’s a loan deal with an option so if all things go well I could be here longer than this season, so we will see how it goes, but I’m excited.

“It didn’t really take too much selling, it was more that the staff had a lot of admiration for me, and I knew that Stoke City was a big club with a lot of his history in the Premier League. That is where I want to be, and hopefully, I can take the club to where it should be.”

On having an option to make the move permanent, Maja said: “It was very important. Obviously, my time at Bordeaux hasn’t been easy this season. I was injured at the start and haven’t had the game time.

“To come here, play a number of games, and hopefully score a lot of goals, it’s obviously going to have a big impact on the club. “Hopefully I can do the job and help this club back to where it belongs, which is the Premier League.”

Maja started his first-team career with Sunderland, where he managed to score 16 goals in 41 league appearances and his display attracted Bordeaux, whom he signed for in January 2019 and went ahead to score 12 goals in 52 appearances.

In August 2019, the then Nigeria manager Gernot Rohr said he wanted Maja to represent the Super Eagles and he finally made his international debut on September 10 in a 2-2 friendly against Ukraine, replacing Victor Osimhen in added time.

Maja could make his debut when Stoke host Wigan Athletic in the fifth round of the FA Cup at bet365 Stadium on Saturday or in their next league fixture against Swansea City at the same venue on Tuesday.