Stoke City are set to lose out to Cercle Brugge in the race to sign Schalke winger Rabbi Matondo, according to Football Insider.

Matondo joined Stoke on loan from the Bundesliga side in the second half of last season, penning a deal until the end of the campaign.

The Wales international made 10 appearances in the Championship, starting five times and scoring his only goal for the club in a draw with Nottingham Forest.

The 20-year-old looks set for another loan move away from Schalke, and Stoke are said to be keen on bringing him back to the bet365 Stadium.

But according to Football Insider, Matondo has agreed to join Belgian side Cercle Brugge on loan for the season, beating Stoke to his signature after a breakthrough in talks.

The Potters are set to bring in another player on loan, though, with Football League World exclusively reporting that Leo Ostigard is set for a medical at Stoke this afternoon.

The Verdict

We don't know how keen Stoke actually have been on signing Matondo, but if he was a target then it is obviously a blow for them to miss out.

He did well at Stoke last season despite not really featuring too often, and a second loan spell in the Championship could have been beneficial for him.

But a move to Belgium represents another fresh start for Matondo which will help him develop as a person as well as a player, and it could be good for him to challenge himself elsewhere.