Brighton and Hove Albion are believed to have broken the club's transfer fee record in getting the signature of Adam Webster from Bristol City.

The 24-year-old defender has moved to the south of England for a fee believed to be around €24 million (£22 million) on a four-year deal, although the final fee has been undisclosed. The Premier League club's previous high fee paid for a player was to Dutch side AZ Alkmaar for Iranian winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh.

Speaking after signing, Webster said, “It’s been a bit of a drawn-out process, but I’m absolutely delighted to finally get it over the line. This move is a dream come true for me and my family, so I can’t wait to get started. After speaking with the manager, my heart was set on coming here. I grew up nearby in Chichester, so to be closer to home is an added bonus for me.

“I'm comfortable playing as a pair or in a trio and the three-man formation is one I have played in a fair few times at Bristol City, and at Ipswich too. It’s a system I am familiar with if the manager decides to play that way. I prefer to play on the left side of defence, but I’ll go anywhere as long as I’m out there on the pitch.”

“From the moment I walked in at Bristol City, I fell in love with the place, because it is a great club. It was disappointing that we couldn’t get into the play-offs, but personally, it was a good season and I have really fond memories from my time there. Coming here, you can see that everything is in place to succeed. The training ground is unbelievable, it’s a great place to work and I’m very excited to get going.”

The transfer of Adam Webster to Bristol City is believed to be part of a chain reaction that can allow the move of Harry Maguire to Leicester City. Brighton defender Lewis Dunk has been widely linked to a move to the Foxes, which many say would allow Harry Maguire to join the Red Devils.