The rumors on Tuesday came true on Wednesday.
Stoke City's American winger Brek Shea has joined Championship side Barnsley FC, it was announced on BarnsleyFC.co.uk, on a 28-day loan.
The move is seen as an attempt to get regular playing as Shea tries to solidify his place in the US national team and book his ticket to Brazil in June.
Shea, 23, has made only five appearances for Stoke City since joining the club in January 2013, thanks in large part to recurring foot and knee injuries. This season, under new manager Mark Hughes, Shea has made just one appearance in English Premier League action.
Barnsley currently sit in last place in the Championship -- the 2nd tier of English soccer -- and in for a relegation battle this winter and spring. They have just 16 points from 23 matches and are five points away from escaping the relegation zone.
Nicknamed the Tykes or the Reds, Barnsley are currently managed by Danny Wilson, who took over the club on December 17 following the sacking of David Flitcroft in November.
Wilson, a former Northern Ireland international, may be familiar to some US soccer fans. He was a teammate of former USMNT captain John Harkes when the two were at Sheffield Wednesday from 1990 to 1993.
What do you think of Shea's move to Barnsley? Let us know in the comments below.
