Stoke City, led by Tony Pulis, were seeking to solidify their status as Premier League regulars after finishing second for the second year in a row.

Stoke’s 11th-place finish the previous season, as well as their FA Cup quarterfinal appearance, gave them a lot of confidence heading into the 2010/11 season, and as a result, they sought out some big names in the transfer market.

Kenwyne Jones, Jermaine Pennant, Marc Wilson, and Jonathan Walters joined the club on permanent contracts. However, the loan signing of a former Chelsea and Iceland player was undoubtedly the most notable.

There was a lot of excitement around the bet365 Stadium – then known as the Britannia Stadium – when this star arrived, but his addition to the squad fell far short of the impact that Pulis and many Potters fans had hoped for, as his entire time at the club was a genuinely forgettable one.

Eidur Gudjohnsen has joined Stoke City on loan from Monaco.

In the early days of Stoke’s Premier League history, Pulis established a habit of recruiting older stars not only to improve the club’s brand, but also to benefit from their presence on and off the pitch.

Over the years, the Welshman has signed veterans like as Matthew Upson, Jonathan Woodgate, Michael Owen, and John Carew. However, Gudjohnsen was a pioneer in the Potteries for this type of signing, which Pulis may have learned from given the outcome.

The Icelandic international had previously thrived in England, most notably with Chelsea, whom he joined for £4 million, and Bolton Wanderers, where he made 263 appearances across all competitions, scoring 78 goals and assisting 41.

Following his time at Chelsea, Gudjohsen spent three years at the Camp Nou with Barcelona, and after a dismal season with Monaco, he joined Spurs on loan for the 2009/10 season before moving to Staffordshire permanently the following summer.

His only goal for Spurs came against his next club, and when he arrived, Pulis said: “The lad desperately wanted to come back and play in the Premier League, and he is eager to make his mark at this level again, so he now has an excellent opportunity to achieve that ambition here and help the club move forward.”

Gudjohnsen continued: “I had numerous alternatives from all over the world, and it came down to the last minute.

“They are demonstrating a lot of ambition. They signed a couple guys this summer. They’re a formidable team.

“It is not an easy area to come and earn points. I wish to bring a little bit of quality and experience.”

After struggling for game time over the last year or so, the Icelandic lacked fitness and was unable to jump right into play.

He made his Stoke debut off the bench in a 1-1 draw at home to West Ham, coming on as a late substitution, and followed that up with another appearance off the bench in the next game, a 2-1 win away to Newcastle United, though his impact was limited.

As it turned out, his 23-minute cameo off the bench at St James’ Park would be his longest spell in a Stoke shirt in the Premier League, as he would make only two more appearances, both off the bench, in a 2-1 away loss to former club Bolton Wanderers and a 2-1 home defeat to Manchester United.

From there, the man who cost Chelsea £4 million from Bolton in the summer of 2000 would be limited to a bench spot for the remainder of the first half of the season, as when January arrived, he was eager to find a way out, which he did, ending his brief and disappointing stint with the Potters.

Eidur Gudjohnsen’s move to Stoke City fell flat—the Iceland icon produced very nothing.

In terms of Stoke and, most likely, Gudjohnsen, his stint in the Potteries was a complete waste of time, as he only made four league appearances.

After leaving Stoke, he returned to West London on loan with Fulham for six months before finishing his career in Greece, Belgium, China, Norway, and India.

Gudjohnsen, widely recognized as one of the best Icelandic players of all time, had some spectacular highs during his 23-year professional career, winning titles in the Netherlands, England, and Spain, as well as being a member of Barcelona’s Champions League-winning team in 2009.

Fortunately for Gudjohsen, he will be known for his accomplishments at the top of the game rather than his poor and brief tenure at Stoke, which he and Potters supporters alike are likely to have long forgotten.