STOKE CITY HAVE secured the services of former Republic of Ireland international Stephen Ward on an initial one-year deal.
The Championship club confirmed the signing of the veteran left-back this evening, after he was pictured at their Clayton Wood training ground this morning.
Ward joins the Potters as a free agent, having been released by Premier League club Burnley at the end of the 2018-19 season.
The 33-year-old Dubliner worked under current Stoke City manager Nathan Jones while he was on loan to Brighton & Hove Albion from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2013-14.
“I’m delighted to be here,” he told Stoke City’s official website. “It’s a massive club with great ambitions and I’m really happy to have joined. It’s a new club and I want to hit the ground running and hopefully we can have a really successful year.
“I’m feeling fit and strong and ready to go. This club is built for the Premier League so that’s got to be the main priority this year. Winning promotion and having a successful season has to be our aim, and that is the base of what I’m seeing after speaking to the manager.
“I was really excited in what the manager had to say, his philosophy and his plan for the club. As soon as I spoke to him I knew that I wanted to be here. I’ve had a good break, looked after myself and I’m raring to go. I’m delighted to have sorted my future.”
Ward, who retired from international football in March after winning 50 senior caps for Ireland, made 113 appearances for Burnley during five years at Turf Moor.
“He’s a wonderful player with great experience, not least because he has won the Championship title twice,” Stoke boss Nathan Jones said of his new recruit.
“I’ve worked with Stephen in the past when he was on loan at Brighton and I know that technically he’s very, very good.
“He’s slightly older than a player we might usually target but I feel we need to add certain characteristics to the changing room and Stephen brings those to the environment.”
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