Diego Arismendi made just two starts in his first season with Stoke City

Uruguay midfielder Diego Arismendi will be a better player after his loan spell at League One side Brighton, according to Stoke City coach Mark O'Connor.

Arismendi, 22, cost Stoke £2.6m from Club Nacional in August 2009, but has only featured twice in the Carling Cup.

"I'm hoping the experience of going out on loan has done him the world of good," O'Connor told BBC Radio Stoke.

"I'd like to think that when he comes back, he would have grown in stature and he'll feel more comfortable."

O'Connor continued: "You want to be playing regularly, whichever league you're in.

"Playing in front of crowds gives you that extra buzz and I'm hoping he comes back determined to get into our first-team squad before the start of the season."

Arismendi, who has won two caps for Uruguay, joined the Seagulls in March and played six games in his loan spell at the Withdean Stadium.

Meanwhile, O'Connor has said players that were not involved for large periods of last season could still have a part to play at the Britannia Stadium.

Defenders Carl Dickinson and Ryan Shotton spent the campaign on loan at Barnsley, while Michael Tonge, Tom Soares, Steve Simonsen, Ibrahima Sonko, Andy Griffin and Ben Marshall all ended the season on loan at other clubs.

"We known we're going to use 20 or 22 players before you even kick off," said O'Connor. "There'll be suspensions and injuries and you'll be calling on someone else to step up."

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