West Ham have announced the arrival of Hull star Jarrod Bowen in a deal reportedly worth £22m after potential add-ons.
Bowen had entered the final six months of his contract with Hull and while the Championship outfit had the option to extend that deal for another year they had been braced for offers all month.
Despite Bowen's glowing record at Championship level, there were no concrete bids in the versatile forward until Crystal Palace made the first move on Thursday. That bid - believed to be in the region of £16m plus add ons - sparked the Hammers into life in their bid to avoid the drop.
The 23-year-old, who was linked with a move to Tottenham last summer, completed his medical in Leeds before travelling down the London to sign on the dotted line after initial reseverations about joining the east London outfit.
Bowen, who has signed a five-and-a-half-year deal, will provide competition for places in wide areas but his versatility is a key asset and could see him play closer to Sebastien Haller given his excellent goal return.
Since the beginning of last season, Bowen has both scored more goals (38) and had a direct hand in more goals (including assists) than any other player in the Championship (49).