Stoke City are delighted to announce that they've broken the club's transfer record by completing the £1,200,000 signing of Leon Cort from Coca-Cola Championship rivals Crystal Palace.

Cort, who has been on loan with the Potters since early November, has signed a three and a half year deal at the Britannia Stadium that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2011.

City will also pay an additional £200,000 if the club are promoted to the Premier League.

Announcing the deal, Chief Executive Tony Scholes told stokecityfc.com, "This club record signing shows the club's determination to build a team strong enough to challenge for promotion to the Premier League."

"He's a vastly experienced defender who's done extremely well for us while he's been here on loan."

Manager Tony Pulis was also very pleased with capture of Cort, saying, "I'm delighted we've signed Leon permanently.

"Since he's come in he's been a smashing lad on and off the pitch who's also real danger at set pieces."

Leon has made 15 appearances for the club, scoring 4 goals, since joining on loan from Palace in November.

He began his professional career with Southend United in 2001 where he amassed over 160 appearances, 130 of those in consecutive games, before joining Hull City on a free transfer in 2004.

Cort then clocked up 91 appearances for the KC Stadium club, scoring ten goals for the Tigers. A £1,250,000 move to Crystal Palace followed in the summer of 2006 where he linked up with former boss Peter Taylor.

He played 50 times for the Eagles, scoring 7 goals in the process. He was also named the club's player of the year for last season.