Porto sign Marseille`s Giannelli Imbula in 20mn euro move

Lisbon: FC Porto have splashed out 20 million euros ($22.2 million) 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).