Stoke City are set to break their transfer record by signing the French-Belgian midfielder Giannelli Imbula from Porto for £18m (€24m).
The 23-year-old was still in Portugal on Monday morning but talks advanced quickly with Stoke agreeing to Porto having a 15% sell-on clause included in the deal.
Imbula, who joined Porto from Marseille in 2015, has been capped seven times by France at Under-21 level but has yet to play for the senior team and recently suggested he would be keen to represent Belgium.
Stoke’s previous record fee was the £12m paid to Internazionale for Xherdan Shaqiri in August of last year.
Imbula was the most expensive signing in the history of Portuguese football when he joined Porto in a €20m deal.
Marcus Christenson and Vitor Alvarenga, Guardian
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I don't know much about him but 18M? Stoke aren't messing around. There seems to be a lot of money floating around the Prem.
I never thought I'd see the day when Stoke were spending like Chelsea.
That's Mark Hughes for you.
Nor did I. Do you think the money coming in is making the Prem more competitive? I know City, Chelsea and United can out spend most but now if the other clubs can just sneak into 4th then who knows.
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