Darren Fletcher will join Stoke City on a free transfer once his contract expires with West Brom on July 1.
He has signed a two-year contract at the bet365 Stadium, after making 97 appearances for the Baggies in two years.
The Scottish international was club captain at the Hawthorns, and will no doubt add some much valued experience and leadership to Stoke.
What has Fletcher had to say?
Fletcher was full of praise for manager Mark Hughes, and said: “Having spoken to the manager I have to admit that I was really impressed by everything he had to say to me,”
The midfielder also said that he liked what Hughes told him, including the Welshman’s ideas and philosophies and sees the move as a “great new challenge.”
He continued by saying: “The gaffer was a fantastic player, and I have had the pleasure of working under some tremendous managers throughout my career, and Mark will be another one of those."
He also spoke about his delight to link up with former Manchester United teammate Phil Bardsley, as well as playing alongside Charlie Adam who Fletcher knows from international duty.
Mark Hughes has had his say on the deal
Hughes seemed very happy to complete his first transfer business of the summer, and said that “Darren is a person and a player that I have admired from afar for quite some time now, and am understandably delighted to have been able to bring him to the club.”
He furthered by saying that Fletcher has “enjoyed a distinguished career in the game” referring to his impressive trophy hall at Manchester United.
Hughes was quick to quash criticisms that Fletcher at 33 may be too old to cut it at Premier League level, and said that he “has shown over the past two seasons that his qualities and appetite for the game haven’t diminished in any way.”
He also said that as a professional, Fletcher can enjoy even further success in football, ambitions that both he and the club feel like he can fulfil in Staffordshire.