Transfer latest: Stoke buy Bojan, QPR capture Caulker
Published:Stoke City, 11/8 with Coral for a top 10 finish, have completed the signing of Barcelona forward Bojan Krkic for an undisclosed fee on a four-year contract.
Potters boss Mark Hughes, a former Nou Camp player himself, staved off reported competition from promoted Galician La Liga outfit Deportivo La Coruna, who captured Krkic’s old Barca teammate Isaac Cuenca, to land 23-year-old Bojan.
Capped once for Spain in 2008, Krkic’s career has somewhat stalled after spells at Roma, AC Milan and Ajax. “He’s desperate to prove himself in the Premier League,” Hughes told Stoke’s official website.
Bojan will compete with the likes of Jon Walters, Peter Odemwingie, Cameron Jerome, Peter Crouch and Marko Arnautovic for a starting spot at the Britannia Stadium.
Meanwhile, QPR, Coral’s 2/1 second-favourites to be relegated, have beaten Southampton and London rivals Crystal Palace to the signature of in-demand England international defender Steven Caulker.
The 22-year-old links up once again with Hoops boss Harry Redknapp, having been coached by him at Spurs. Caulker joins the Loftus Road outfit on a four-year deal after moving for a reported fee of £8.5m from relegated Cardiff City.
Redknapp has now netted a new centre back pairing of ex-England captain Rio Ferdinand and future Three Lions hopeful Caulker. They will compete at QPR with Nedum Onuoha, and veteran pair Richard Dunne and club captain Clint Hill for a starting spot in defence.
In Championship news, 11/2 promotion hopefuls Nottingham Forest have taken Crystal Palace and former Huddersfield Town right back Jack Hunt on loan for the remainder of 2014. The 23-year-old broke his ankle in training shortly after joining the Eagles last September. Hunt enjoyed a similar loan spell in the second-tier with Barnsley when he returned to action in January.
And finally, Fulham manager Felix Magath, 10/3 to steer the west London club back into the Premier League, has pulled off a major coup by bringing highly-rated Arsenal and compatriot German youth international midfielder Thomas Eisfeld to Craven Cottage. The 21-year-old has penned a two-year contract with Fulham and moves across the capital for an undisclosed fee.
