Nottingham Forest have signed Peterborough United striker Britt Assombalonga in a deal worth up to £8m
The 21-year old has signed a five-year contract in a deal worth £5.5m, which could rise to £8m with add-ons, smashing Forest’s previous transfer record which was £4.5m for Pierre van Hooijdonk from Celtic in 1997.
The Congolese forward, who can play as a frontman or on the wing, scored 33 goals in 58 appearances for the London Road club last season after joining from Watford for £1.5m. The Vicarage Road club will receive over £2m as part of a 50% sell-on fee on any profit made.
Following the signing of Michail Antonio earlier today, Forest have now spent the £7m funds from the sale and loan-back of Jamaal Lascelles and Karl Darlow to Newcastle United.
Assombalonga began his youth career with Watford in 2010 and spent time on loan at Wealdstone, Braintree Town and Southend United, where he scored 15 goals in 43 appearances for the League Two club.
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Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony said: “I like every other person associated with Posh will miss Britt Assombalonga, not just for his goals and what he brings to the team, but for his values, his character, his personality and his desire to be a better person on and off the field.
“Last year we took a massive chance and paid over seven figures for a young lad who had just turned 20 and had never kicked a ball outside of League Two football. I have no doubt lots of fans and people in the football world saw it as a crazy move, but that move and what’s just happened epitomises everything we do as a football club with young raw talent.
“After receiving what will be a record fee for a League One club and for Posh, I told the Gaffer I would turn the final bid down. Once the Gaffer spoke to Britt and his father, it was clear he wanted to progress, speak to Forest and conveyed he was in no way in the right frame of mind for the game against Rochdale on Saturday should this opportunity not be afforded to him.
“That is no slight on Britt or his character, he was honest and speaking from the heart and not a from a financial point of view. He will be missed by all of us at the club and we will watch his career go from strength to strength over the coming years, knowing we played a big part in that happening.”