Stoke City sign controversial winger James McClean from West Brom in £6million deal
Club announce arrival of Irishman with string of tweets as he joins Potters for their first season in Championship since 2008
STOKE CITY have confirmed the arrival of controversial Irishman James McClean from West Bromwich Albion in a deal that could rise to £6million.
The divisive winger will stay in the Championship as he makes the short switch across the Midlands to join the Potters, ahead of their first season in the second tier in a decade.
The club welcomed the 29-year-old to Staffordshire with a string of tweets on Sunday.
McClean will replace the outgoing Xherdan Shaqiri, who signed for Liverpool in a £13.5m deal this week.
Stoke are the player's fourth club in English football, after spells with Sunderland, Wigan Athletic and West Brom.
With more than 350 career appearances to his name, McClean adds experience to new boss Gary Rowett's squad, as they look to bounce back from their 2017/18 relegation.
McClean's West Brom were the only team keeping Stoke off the bottom of the Premier League last season, with the winger scoring just once in 30 league games.
The 59-cap man has previous in the Championship, spending two years in the division with Wigan Athletic between 2013 and 2015.
He oversaw a contrast in fortunes, losing a play-off semi-final to QPR in his first season before being relegated with the club the following year, when he won Wigan's Player of the Year award.
McClean is Stoke's third signing of the summer, after spending £6.3m on Feirense's Oghenekaro Etebo and bringing in Australian keeper Adam Federici from Bournemouth.