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Bojan: I'll return for Stoke better than ever

Bojan's debut season in the Premier League came to an end in January after undergoing surgery to repair a ruptured cruciate ligament in his left knee, which the Spaniard suffered in a 4-1 FA Cup win at Rochdale.

The 24-year-old, who arrived at Britannia Stadium from boyhood club Barcelona in the close-season, has been working tirelessly in the Barcelona province of El Papiol as he steps up his recovery.

"I miss football so much. It's all I've ever known. There is not a substitute for that buzz," Bojan told the Daily Mail.

"As a footballer, you know it is a career where you risk injury. That's why you have to play with a smile and try to enjoy every moment. You have to think, "I will be back". I have thought a lot about this.

"The best is to think little by little, and eventually you arrive at the end goal.

"That is why I read all these books. I am now off the crutches. I can walk now, then I want to walk quicker, then jog, then to run... by the end, you're scoring goals and the fans are screaming your name.

"When I return I don't want to be the same as before, I want to be stronger, better than before.

"Trust me, I will be back."

An international call-up beckoned prior to Bojan's injury, with Spain coach Vicente del Bosque monitoring the former Barca youngster after a strong start to life in the Premier League.

"The difference at Stoke is the number of minutes I was playing. You believe in yourself more, you try different things," he added.

"Mark Hughes really believes in me, he makes me feel as though I'm a great footballer.

"He has put me into the position I believe is my best - 'media punta' [behind the striker]. In this role, I have freedom. I love playing, creating, constructing, scoring goals. It was as happy as I have been in football."