Southampton have signed Sofiane Boufal from Lille for a club record fee that could rise to £21 million ($27.5 million).
Southampton’s previous record signing was Dani Osvaldo, who joined from Roma in 2013 in a deal that could have been worth up to £14.6 million.
Boufal said: “I’m very, very happy to sign for Southampton and I am really excited to play in St Mary’s stadium in front of the fans. Southampton showed big interest in signing me, and I can see that this club is the best place for me to continue my progression as a footballer.
“I hope I can achieve many great things with Southampton. It is a very good club, with excellent facilities, and I feel it is the perfect environment to continue my development.”
Boufal scored 12 goals in all competitions in his first full season with Lille as they finished fifth in Ligue 1 and reached the final of the Coupe de la Ligue.