Ibrahim Afellay has joined FC Schalke 04 on a season-long loan deal from Spanish side FC Barcelona
Ibrahim Afellay has joined FC Schalke 04 on a season-long loan deal from Spanish side FC Barcelona

Afellay added to Royal Blue ranks

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Munich - Schalke have pulled off a major coup on transfer deadline day by signing Dutch winger Ibrahim Afellay on a season-long loan deal from Spanish giants FC Barcelona.

Versatile winger

The 26-year-old winger joined Barcelona from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven in January 2011 but his progress was hindered by a serious knee ligament injury and first-team opportunities have been hard to come by at the Camp Nou.

Schalke head coach Huub Stevens knows Afellay well having managed him as a youngster at PSV in the 2009/09 season. The 58-year-old spoke of his excitement at being reunited with a player who 'can play in various positions on the pitch.' Afellay has accumulated 41 caps for the Dutch national team since making his debut in March 2007.