USA's Shea to join Birmingham from Stoke on three-month loan deal
American midfielder Brek Shea has been loaned for three months from Stoke of England's Premier League to Birmingham of the second-tier League Championship.
Birmingham said Thursday the deal for the 24-year-old player runs through Dec. 13.
Shea has two goals in 27 appearances with the U.S. national team. He was not selected for the Americans' World Cup roster this year. He joins two other Americans on Birmingham: defenders Jonathan Spector and Will Packwood.
Shea was acquired by Stoke from Major League Soccer's FC Dallas in January 2013 but has made just five appearances in 1 1/2 seasons: three in the Premier League and two in the League Cup.
He played in eight games for second-tier Barnsley last winter during a loan that was cut short after he made a hand gesture on March 1 while he was restraining teammate Stephen Dawson as Dawson tried to reach a Stoke fan.
