30.01.2015 20:13 h

Swansea sign Saints star Cork

Swansea signed former England Under-21 midfielder Jack Cork from Southampton for an undisclosed fee on Friday.

Cork agreed a three-and-a-half year contract but the deal was completed too late for him to be eligible to make an immediate return to his old club when Swansea travel to St Mary's for a Premier League fixture on Sunday.

The 25-year-old former Chelsea trainee played over 100 games after joining Southampton in 2011, but had started only five league matches since Ronald Koeman was appointed Saints manager last year.

Cork would have been a free agent when his contract expired at the end of the season and Southampton were willing to let him leave now in order to secure a fee, which some reports claim is around £3 million ($4.5 million)

"I was surprised a little bit he was available. I understand an offer of a new contract was in place at Southampton, but for whatever reasons he felt he didn't want to sign it," Swansea manager Garry Monk said.

"He wanted to come here and we have showed the same enthusiasm to sign him, so that's a good recipe. He's got good experience at this level and he is a British player which is good.

"He has a Chelsea background as well so he has got good pedigree, and he is at a good age to develop into a top midfielder."