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Confirmed: Two Premier League clubs miss out as Stoke offload Bojan Krkic
STOKE forward Bojan Krkic has joined Bundesliga club Mainz on loan for the rest of the season.
Bojan Krkic joins Mainz on loan
The 26-year-old Barcelona product joined Stoke for £3million in the summer of 2014 and made an instant impact at the Bet365 Stadium.
Bojan scored 15 goals in 59 Stoke appearances, but has fallen out of favour under Mark Hughes this season and made only five Premier League starts.
Today sees a very special chapter in my life come to a close as another really exciting one opens... pic.twitter.com/F9iJ0oy7gM
— Bojan Krkic (@BoKrkic) January 29, 2017
Sky Sports claim top-flight rivals Middlesbrough and Watford were also interested in the Spaniard but Stoke had no intention of letting him join another English club.
"It is an honour for me that Mainz 05 gives me the opportunity to prove myself in another European top league," Bojan said.
"I look forward to the team as well as to fans and to help [Mainz] soon on the pitch."
Bojan Krkic leaves as Saido Berahino joins
Mainz coach Martin Schmidt said: "In Bojan, we are able to win a strong, dangerous and creative attacking midfielder with outstanding footballing quality, which he can play on all offensive positions.
"I am looking forward to the exciting task of providing him and his individual opportunities in the coming months for our team."
Bojan's departure comes after Stoke signed West Brom striker Saido Berahino for an initial £12m on a five-and-a-half-year contract.