Seagulls loan £3 million Premier League midfielder

Stoke's £3million Uruguay midfielder Diego Arismendi has joined League One strugglers Brighton on loan until the end of the season.

Seagulls manager Gus Poyet has pulled off an amazing swoop by persuading his countryman to join him on the south coast.

"We are really grateful to have been able to bring Diego here," said Poyet. "He is a Premiership player, an international and it is a real coup for the club."

"He has undoubted ability and quality and he will give us something totally different in midfield. He wants to play games and I appreciate that Stoke City and Tony Pulis have allowed him to come on loan to us."

Arismendi, 22, joined Stoke on deadline day from Uruguayan club Nacional for a fee which could yet rise to £5million. Twice capped for his national side, he played in City's Carling Cup ties against Blackpool and Portsmouth but has yet to break into the first team on a regular basis.

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