Stoke City have signed defender Leon Cort from Crystal Palace for a club record £1.2million.
Defender completes permanent switch to the Brittania Stadium
Stoke City have signed defender Leon Cort from Crystal Palace for a club record £1.2million.
Cort has been on loan at the Britannia Stadium since November, making 15 appearances and scoring four goals to help the club into the play-offs.
He had been named as the Eagles' player of the year last season but has now ended his 18-month association with the club by signing a three-and-a-half year deal with Stoke.
Potters chief executive Tony Scholes feels that the deal proves the ambition the club have to make the Premier League. If promotion is achieved, then Cort's fee will rise by a further £200,000 due to a clause added by Palace.
Vast experience
"This club record signing shows the club's determination to build a team strong enough to challenge for promotion," Scholes told the Stoke's official website.
"He's a vastly experienced defender who's done extremely well for us while he's been on loan.
Pulis' delight
Stoke boss Tony Pulis also expressed his satisfaction at the signing of Cort saying: "I'm delighted we've signed Leon permanently.
"Since he's come in he's been a smashing lad on and off the pitch who's a real danger at set-pieces."
