STOKE-ON-TRENT, England - Stoke City have signed Nigeria international midfielder Oghenekaro Peter Etebo on a five-year contract from Portuguese club Feirense, the second-tier Championship club said on Monday.
Etebo, who will represent his country in this month's World Cup in Russia, is Stoke's first signing of the close season with the Potters paying 7.2 million euros ($8.50 million) for the 22-year-old.
"I'm particularly pleased that he took the time to look beyond our current league status and understand who we are as a club before choosing us ahead of current Premier League and Bundesliga clubs," Stoke's chief executive, Tony Scholes, said on the club's website.
Stoke were relegated to the Championship after finishing 19th in the Premier League last season, leading to manager Paul Lambert's exit. He was replaced by Gary Rowett last month.
"Etebo is a very mobile, energetic midfielder and he's a great age. He has played in the top divisions in Portugal and Spain and, of course, he's heading into the World Cup with Nigeria which will be an amazing experience for him," Rowett said. Etebo, who has 14 caps for Nigeria, joined Feirense in 2016 and made 45 appearances in Portugal's Primeira Liga, scoring seven goals.
Stoke City are delighted to announce the signing of Nigerian international Oghenekaro Peter Etebo on a five-year contract
The 22-year-old midfielder joins the Potters from Portuguese side Feirense for a fee of €7.2million
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Meanwhile, Watford have completed the signing of winger Gerard Deulofeu from Barcelona on a five-year contract, the Premier League club said on Monday. The 24-year-old, who joined Watford on-loan in January, made seven appearances in the league for the English side last season. Barcelona said a fee of 13 million euros ($15.3 million) along with another 4 million in variables was agreed for the transfer.
"We are very pleased to welcome Gerard back to Vicarage Road and thank FC Barcelona for their part in concluding this deal," Watford Chairman and CEO Scott Duxbury said on the club's website. "Our ambition to succeed and grow in the Premier League remains as strong as ever."
Deulofeu, who has four caps for Spain, progressed through Barcelona's youth system and made his senior debut in 2011 but failed to establish himself at the La Liga outfit. The Spaniard then moved to Everton in 2015 but re-joined Barcelona in 2017 after a loan spell at AC Milan.