Brighton and Hove Albion have announced the signing of left-sided central defender Igor Julio from the Italian club Fiorentina on undisclosed terms, subject to regulatory clearance.
The player has signed a four-year contract with Brighton until June 2027.
The deal is reported to be worth an initial £14.5 million, with add-ons of about £2.5 million which could take the value to more than £17 million.
It is expected that he will link up with his new team-mates early next week when they return from the Premier League Summer Series in America.
Head coach Roberto De Zerbi said: “Igor is another important player who can help us in a crucial position within the team: where the play starts.”
The 25-year-old Brazilian joined Fiorentina two years ago from Italian third-tier outfit SPAL and has gone on to make 110 appearances for Fiorentina.
Last season he played 42 times and helped them to an eighth-place finish in Serie A.
He also played a key role in helping Fiorentina reach the final of the Europa Conference League and came on as substitute when they lost 2-1 to West Ham United in the final.
Fiorentina were also runners-up in the Italian Cup last season.
He started his career with Santos-based Portuguesa in Brazil before moving to Austria in 2016 where he played for second-tier club FC Liefering.
He then had spells in the Austrian top-flight with Red Bull Salzburg and on loan at Wolfsberger and Austria Wien.
