Newcastle United have completed the signing of Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid for a fee of £12 million plus add-ons.
The 31-year-old joins from the Spanish champions on a two-and-a-half-year deal and is expected to be the first of multiple arrivals on Tyneside this month.
The arrival of Trippier is seen as somewhat of a 'statement signing' given Newcastle's current position in the Premier League table – as well as the deal immediately bolstering an extremely leaky defence in the process.
Trippier returns to the English top-flight – a league in which he has made 107 previous appearances in for Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley – after being named in the LaLiga 'Team of the Season' and playing a key role in England reaching the final of EURO 2020 last year.
Newcastle's new number 15 is expected to be unveiled before their FA Cup tie at St James' Park against Cambridge United on Saturday afternoon, a game in which he is likely feature in also.
Trippier: 'I knew this was where I wanted to be'
Once he had signed on the dotted line, Trippier said to NUFC TV: "I'm delighted to be joining this fantastic club.
"I really enjoyed my time in Madrid, but when I became aware of interest from Newcastle United, and having worked with Eddie Howe before, I knew this was where I wanted to be.
"I'm aware there is a lot of work ahead of us but I know the demands of Premier League well and I know what an amazing club this is with very talented players.
"I can't wait to get started and I'm excited to step out at St. James' Park as a Newcastle player."
Howe: 'When the opportunity arose to secure him, we didn't hesitate'
After being reunited with a player he had previously worked with at Burnley, head coach Eddie Howe said: "I am really pleased to welcome Kieran to Newcastle United.
"I have long admired his abilities and have followed his career, so when the opportunity arose to secure him, we didn't hesitate.
"A lot of hard work has gone into planning for the January transfer window long before the month began, which is clear in how quickly we have been able to complete this move.
"I would like to thank everyone involved, particularly our owners, and I'm very much looking forward to working with Kieran again on the training pitch."
What sort of player are Newcastle getting?
In short, Newcastle are receiving a player that should not be associated with a side that are 19th in the table.
Trippier would walk into most top-flight sides, highlighted by The Magpies reportedly beating off interest from Chelsea and Manchester United for his signature.
The experienced right-back will add much-needed quality to Eddie Howe's men defence, a backline that has already shipped 42 goals so far this season.
And to add to that, Trippier will bring a real threat from set-pieces to the team, something Toon fans will know all about after his famous free-kick in the World Cup semi-final against Croatia in particular.
Who else could follow Trippier through the door?
It was always expected that Newcastle would throw their new-found financial weight around in January, especially with them currently occupying a spot in the dreaded bottom three.
According to the Telegraph, the plan for Amanda Staveley and the consortium next is to bring in more defensive reinforcements, with the top targets being Lille centre-back Sven Botman and Everton's Lucas Digne.
It is also widely reported that The Magpies are looking to bring in as many as six new players this window, which should significantly help stave off the threat of relegation to the Championship.
Along with new recruits at centre-back and left-back to help rebuild the defence, moves for a new central midfielder and striker are also expected to arrive on Tyneside before the transfer window slams shut at the end of the month.