Stoke City have announced they have signed Lee Grant on a permanent deal from Championship side Derby in a transfer worth £1.3m.
Grant, 33, joined Stoke on an initial six-month loan deal at the start of the season after Mark Hughes was left short in goal following Jack Butland’s long-term injury and Shay Given’s poor start to the season.
The 33-year-old has since performed beyond anyone’s wildest expectations and Stoke have been keen to secure his full-time services with Butland a doubt to return for the remainder of the season.
Any deal to keep Grant beyond the end of this month was cast in severe doubt when Derby were demanding a reported £4m for his services, but Stoke have made a breakthrough in discussions and have Grant tied down on a two-and-a-half-year deal.
“Lee found himself with an opportunity to make an impression in the Premier League and to suggest he has grabbed that chance with both hands would be an understatement,” Tony Scholes, Stoke’s chief executive, told the club’s official website.
“He has shown outstanding form on a consistent basis and we’re delighted to have reached an agreement with Derby to make his transfer permanent.”
Grant has been immense between the sticks for the Potters, represented by the fact he ranks in the top five goalkeepers for the highest save success in the Premier League this season (71.9%).
Furthermore, it was only until Grant joined on loan that Stoke begun to win in the Premier League. They hadn’t won any of their opening five matches, compared to a win success rate of 40% since then with Grant in the team.
For more stats on Lee Grant, click here to visit his WhoScored player page
