National Sport

Pennant pines for Premier place

© Press Association 2011

2:38pm Wednesday 8th September 2010

Jermaine Pennant is hoping his loan move to Stoke will earn him a permanent transfer to the Barclays Premier League.

The 27-year-old is on loan from Real Zaragoza, the club he joined from Liverpool in the summer of 2009.

"I've missed the Premier League," he told Sky Sports News. "I've also missed having a team meet and understanding the instructions I'm getting."

He added: "I'm just going to play the best I can and see what happens.

"My first mission is to help Stoke climb the table. If in January I can get a permanent move, great.

"The gaffer said he's hoping for a top-10 finish. He believes it and we believe it too."

Pennant expects his old club Liverpool, who missed out on the top four last term, to have a much better season under new boss Roy Hodgson.

"Liverpool's always going to be a massive club," he said. "Last season was very disappointing for them.

"Roy's got a lot of players in. I'm sure they can go for the title and definitely finish in the top four."

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