Birmingham City have completed
the signing of striker Christian Benitez from Santos Laguna for a
club record fee.
The Ecuador international has signed a three-year deal at St
Andrews ahead of next season's campaign in the Premier League.
An undisclosed fee has been agreed with Santos Laguna, who
Benitez joined from El Nacional in 2007, and the 23-year-old will
undergo a medical in the Midlands next week.
Birmingham claim to have beaten a number of sides to Benitez's
signature, with the forward - who is expected to be granted a work
permit - thought to have been in high demand after netting 31 goals
in 58 games for Santos Laguna.
Although the fee is undisclosed it is set to surpass the
£6.25million paid for Emile Heskey in 2004 and is reported to be in
the region of £9million.
