Porto signs Marseille's Giannelli Imbula in €20-million deal

Lisbon - FC Porto have splashed out 20 million euros to secure Marseille midfielder Giannelli Imbula on a five-year-deal, the Portuguese club announced on Wednesday.

The deal makes the Belgian-born French player Porto's second highest ever signing after Brazilian striker Hulk's 22 million euro arrival in 2008.

And it comes hours after the sale of Porto's Colombian striker Jackson Martinez to Atletico Madrid for 35 million euros.

Portuguese media suggest Imbula's transfer could outstrip Hulk's when add-ons to the players's father-cum-agent and his previous club, Guingamp are taken into account.

For Marseille, Imbula is the latest key player to quit the Velodrome since the south coast club's fourth-place finish last season.

He follows Dimitri Payet, who upped sticks to West Ham, Andre Ayew (Swansea), Jeremy Morel (Lyon) and Andre-Pierre Gignac (Tigres of Monterrey, Mexico).