Stoke City have completed the signing of Matthew Upson on a two-year deal.
England international returns to the Premier League with Potters
Stoke City have completed the signing of free agent Matthew Upson on a two-year deal.
The 32-year-old has been without a club since his contract with West Ham expired this summer.
Upson becomes Potters boss Tony Pulis' second defensive signing of the close season after Jonathan Woodgate, following the successful completion of his medical.
The England international, who has 21 caps, will now be in line to make his debut against Chelsea on Sunday in the televised game on
Sky Sports HD1.
Upson started his career at Luton before moving to Arsenal where he was tipped as a long-term successor to Tony Adams.
Injuries and the longevity of the famed Gunners' backline stunted his progress, before he moved to Birmingham, where he established himself as one of the best centre-halves in the country.
Pulis has again conducted a shrewd piece of business as he boosts his squad with another player of international class, who played at the 2010 World Cup.
Fantastic deal
"This is another fantastic deal for this football club when you consider the quality and experience of the lad and the fact that he is a free transfer," he told the club's
official website.
"We know have strength in depth in our defence with both Matthew and Jonathan on board and we've managed to achieve that without a significant outlay on transfer fees, which is quite remarkable in today's market of vastly inflated prices.
"Their experience of performing at the highest level will be a valuable asset to us because we have some good young defenders and a young goalkeeper."
Upson, too, expressed his delight at the move and has bought into the philosophy of the club already.
"The manager has talked to me about the culture here, the discipline and the organisation and that is an environment which I am looking forward to working in," he said.
