Hleb returns to Stuttgart on loan
Thursday, July 30, 2009
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FC Barcelona and Belarus midfielder Aleksandr Hleb has joined his former club VfB Stuttgart on loan for the 2009/10 campaign, having made his name at the Bundesliga side between 2000 and 2005.
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FC Barcelona midfielder Aleksandr Hleb has joined former club VfB Stuttgart on loan for the season. The 28-year-old Belarussian international had been linked to FC Internazionale Milano as part of the deal that took Zlatan Ibrahimović from San Siro to the Camp Nou, but will now return to the side where he made his name between 2000 and 2005.
'Great potential'
Hleb started just eight Liga games in his first campaign with Barça last season as the Catalan club won the Spanish title, UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey. He made another eight appearances in the triumphant European campaign, but was not part of the squad that lifted the trophy after beating Manchester United FC in the final. Stuttgart sporting director Horst Heldt said: "We have signed a world class player who will give a further boost to the quality within our squad." Hleb himself added: "VfB have great potential and I am convinced that we can achieve things together."
Coup
Hleb began his career at FC BATE Borisov and flourished during his first spell in Germany after joining Stuttgart in the summer of 2000. The attacking midfielder made 137 Bundesliga appearances over five seasons before moving to Arsenal FC for €15m ahead of the 2005/06 campaign and was a regular during his three years with the Gunners. While Stuttgart remain on the hunt for a replacement for striker Mario Gómez, who has joined FC Bayern München, the arrival of Hleb represents quite a coup for the club ahead of their UEFA Champions League play-off tie next month.