Stoke City midfielder Giannelli Imbula is rebuilding his career on-loan at Toulouse.

His manager Pascal Dupraz reckons they are now starting to see his potential, helping to secure a 1-0 win over Amiens at the weekend.

Dupraz told La Depeche: “We see that Gian is improving athletically, however he is obviously not yet at 100 per cent. But since he sees more quickly, he will let go of the ball more quickly. You do not spend two years of almost-inactivity like that…

“In the next 15 days he will be good. He's not far off.

“He is a type of player which the Italians call 'fuoriclasse' – out-of-category. Watch him once he has regained his fullness."