By Chris Burton Last updated: 3rd January 2008
Stoke boss Tony Pulis has expressed his delight at acquiring the services of Danny Pugh from Preston on a permanent basis.
The defender has spent the last two months on loan at the Brittania Stadium, making 13 appearances, and has now penned a three-and-a-half year deal.
He will officially become a Stoke player on 15th January and will be hoping to help the club continue their push for promotion to the Premier League.
Potters boss Pulis is delighted to have got his man and feels that Pugh's versatility will help the club out in the important upcoming months.
"Danny's already a big part of the team here and I'm delighted to have tied him down on a permanent deal," he said.
"He's come in on-loan and done extremely well, played in three different positions and never let us down."
Preston meanwhile will be glad to have money in the bank from the deal as they attempt to climb their way off the bottom of the Championship.
Pugh had joined the Lilywhites from Leeds in the summer of 2006 for £250,000 and manager Alan Irvine will be pleased to have doubled their money in the sale to Stoke.
Preston have already seen Patrick Agyemang depart to QPR, and chairman Derek Shaw is hoping that the funds will help to repair their disastrous season.
"Danny will be signing for Stoke on January 15th," he told the Lancashire Evening Post.
"The fee will be £500,000, although there is a bit of a sell-on clause which will benefit Leeds.
"It is guaranteed money and we are happy with that, and the money will help us as we try and bring in new faces."

Championship Round up - 7th February
McPhail makes his return
Hughton taking nothing for granted
Doncaster 1-2 Reading - Highlights
Ipswich 1-1 Middlesbrough - Highlights
Swansea 2-0 Preston - Highlights
Sheff Utd 1-1 Derby - Highlights
Soccerette - 49ers
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 13th February | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 12:45 | Swansea vs Newcastle |
| 13:00 | Preston vs Blackpool |
| 15:00 | Barnsley vs Plymouth |
| 15:00 | Coventry vs QPR |
| 15:00 | Doncaster vs Nottm Forest |
| 15:00 | Leicester vs Scunthorpe |
| 15:00 | Middlesbrough vs Peterborough |
| 15:00 | Sheff Utd vs Bristol City |
| Tuesday 16th February | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 19:45 | Blackpool vs Middlesbrough |
| 19:45 | Bristol City vs Leicester |
| 19:45 | Cardiff vs West Brom |
| 19:45 | Derby vs Preston |
| 19:45 | Nottm Forest vs Sheff Utd |
| 19:45 | Peterborough vs Ipswich |
| 19:45 | Plymouth vs Swansea |
| 19:45 | Scunthorpe vs Barnsley |
| 19:45 | Sheff Wed vs Doncaster |
| 20:00 | QPR vs Watford |
| Wednesday 17th February | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 19:45 | Newcastle vs Coventry |
| 20:00 | Crystal Palace vs Reading |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Tuesday 9th February | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| West Brom 2 - 0 Scunthorpe | |
| Leicester 0 - 0 Doncaster | |
| Derby 3 - 0 Newcastle | |
| Coventry 1 - 0 Nottm Forest | |
| Preston 2 - 1 Sheff Utd | |
| Sheff Wed 2 - 0 Blackpool | |
| Cardiff 2 - 0 Peterborough | |
| Watford 2 - 0 Bristol City | |
| QPR 1 - 2 Ipswich | |
| Crystal Palace 0 - 1 Swansea | |
| Reading 2 - 1 Plymouth | |
| Middlesbrough 2 - 1 Barnsley | |
| Saturday 6th February | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| Swansea 2 - 0 Preston | |
| Barnsley 1 - 0 Watford | |
| Blackpool 1 - 2 Leicester | |
| Ipswich 1 - 1 Middlesbrough | |
| Nottm Forest 2 - 1 Sheff Wed | |
| Scunthorpe 1 - 2 Crystal Palace | |
| Peterborough 1 - 0 QPR | |
| Bristol City 1 - 1 Coventry | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Bromwich Albion | 30 | 59 |
| 2 | Newcastle United | 29 | 59 |
| 3 | Nottingham Forest | 30 | 55 |
| 4 | Cardiff City | 29 | 48 |
| 5 | Swansea City | 29 | 48 |
| 6 | Leicester City | 28 | 43 |
| 7 | Sheffield United | 30 | 42 |
| 8 | Middlesbrough | 30 | 41 |
| 9 | Blackpool | 30 | 40 |
| 10 | Barnsley | 29 | 39 |
| 11 | Watford | 29 | 38 |
| 12 | Preston North End | 29 | 38 |
| 13 | Bristol City | 29 | 37 |
| 14 | Coventry City | 30 | 37 |
| 15 | Derby County | 30 | 36 |
| 16 | Doncaster Rovers | 28 | 34 |
| 17 | Queens Park Rangers | 29 | 34 |
| 18 | Sheffield Wednesday | 30 | 34 |
| 19 | Crystal Palace | 29 | 33 |
| 20 | Ipswich Town | 29 | 33 |
| 21 | Scunthorpe United | 29 | 33 |
| 22 | Reading | 29 | 32 |
| 23 | Plymouth Argyle | 28 | 24 |
| 24 | Peterborough United | 30 | 21 |
See all the goals and major incidents involving YOUR team, right here on skysports.com.
The arrivals of Jim Gannon and Brian McDermott has Peter Beagrie asking how managers are chosen.
Charlie Adam has beaten off stiff competition to win the PFA Championship Fans' Player of the Month for January.
Crystal Palace's administrators have announced that 20 parties have 'expressed an interest' in the club.
West Brom had plenty to cheer on Tuesday night as Newcastle and Nottingham Forest dropped points.
Newcastle surrendered top spot in the Championship after crashing to a 3-0 defeat at Derby.
Roman Bednar set West Brom on their way to a 2-0 win over Scunthorpe, moving them top of the Championship.
Coventry prevented Nottingham Forest from closing on the top two with a 1-0 win at the Ricoh Arena.