Brighton and Hove Albion are believed to have broken the club's transfer fee record in getting the signature of Adam Webster from Bristol City.
The 24-year-old defender has moved to the south of England for a fee believed to be around €24 million (£22 million) on a four-year deal, although the final fee has been undisclosed. The Premier League club's previous high fee paid for a player was to Dutch side AZ Alkmaar for Iranian winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh.
Speaking after signing, Webster said, “It’s been a bit of a drawn-out process, but I’m absolutely delighted to finally get it over the line. This move is a dream come true for me and my family, so I can’t wait to get started. After speaking with the manager, my heart was set on coming here. I grew up nearby in Chichester, so to be closer to home is an added bonus for me.
“I'm comfortable playing as a pair or in a trio and the three-man formation is one I have played in a fair few times at Bristol City, and at Ipswich too. It’s a system I am familiar with if the manager decides to play that way. I prefer to play on the left side of defence, but I’ll go anywhere as long as I’m out there on the pitch.”
“From the moment I walked in at Bristol City, I fell in love with the place, because it is a great club. It was disappointing that we couldn’t get into the play-offs, but personally, it was a good season and I have really fond memories from my time there. Coming here, you can see that everything is in place to succeed. The training ground is unbelievable, it’s a great place to work and I’m very excited to get going.”
The transfer of Adam Webster to Bristol City is believed to be part of a chain reaction that can allow the move of Harry Maguire to Leicester City. Brighton defender Lewis Dunk has been widely linked to a move to the Foxes, which many say would allow Harry Maguire to join the Red Devils.
Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!
Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.