Andreas Cornelius – FC Copenhagen to Cardiff City, £7.5 million
The 20-year-old became the first signing for the Premier League new boys, and like Jores Okore at Aston Villa his capture is seen as quite a coup.
The young Dane is thought to be one of Europe’s brightest prospects after impressing during his first full season in the Danish Superliga, scoring 18 goals in 32 appearances and breaking into the national side in the process.
FC Copenhagen sporting director Carsten V. Jensen told tipsbladet.dk: “It was never the plan to sell Andreas but sometimes a situation arises where it wouldn’t be responsible to reject an offer like that.
“We wouldn’t normally sell a player so quickly after they’ve broken through to the first team. The last example of this was when we sold Christian Poulsen after the turn of the millennium.
“But this was a situation where the offer was so big that it would have been irresponsible to turn down. That is how it is.”
Cornelius recently admitted that he had had his eye on a move to the Premier League and at Cardiff he perhaps has the best coaching and environment to make an impact and avoid feeling the pressure that a player might feel at the other end of the table.
He will pose a viable threat for the Bluebirds, being 6”4’ and quick on his feet and he has become the club’s record signing at £7.5 million – £3.5 million more than they paid for Michael Chopra in 2009.