Jones has been with Sunderland for three years

Stoke have signed Trinidad & Tobago striker Kenwyne Jones from Sunderland for a club record £8m.

The 25-year-old has joined on a four-year contract, returning to the club where he had a loan spell under manager Tony Pulis in 2005.

"Kenwyne is unplayable on his day which is why this is a fantastic signing for this club," Pulis said.

The fee exceeds the £6m which Stoke paid Middlesbrough for Robert Huth in August 2009.

Pulis added: "We need goals in our team and we also need strong competition among our strikers if we are to continue improving at this level.

"Kenwyne will give us that. It's no secret that I am one of his biggest admirers, he did a smashing job for us when he was here on loan.

"He was very young back then but I believe that he has the best years ahead of him as a top striker."

Pulis has also revealed that Jones has taken a significant pay cut to join the Potters.

606: DEBATE I firmly believe that your style of play, that is getting accurate balls put in the danger areas as quick and as often as possible, will bring the best out of the lad. MrRAWhite

It is understood Jones was earning around £60,000 per week in his final contract with the Black Cats.

But as well as agreeing to spread the fee paid for Jones over a period of four years, Sunderland have also assisted Stoke with regard to the wages.

Pulis refused to reveal details, although it is believed Jones was given a one-off goodbye payment from Sunderland, easing him off their wage bill.

Jones now falls into line with the wage structure at the Britannia Stadium, a crucial element in the deal as far as Pulis was concerned.

"The wages he was earning at Sunderland we could not afford. He was on quite a bit of money, but he is not on that at Stoke," the manager confirmed.

"So they have looked after that as well to enable him to come down to the structure we have at this club, which is very important for us.

"We want to keep it as tight as we can, and we've been able to do that.

"We work very hard on the structure at this club, especially wages, and there was no way we could do the deal unless it conformed with those."

We've made an offer and it's up to them to decide. We're the buying club, the ball's in their court Stoke boss Tony Pulis on their bid for West Ham midfielder Radoslav Kovac

Jones scored three goals in 13 games for Stoke during his loan spell from Southampton.

"The fact that I know the manager, some of the players and the place so well has obviously been an influence upon me coming here," he said.

"This is an exciting new chapter in my career and I want to do my best for a club that has clearly had great success since I was last here."

Jones joined Sunderland from Southampton for £6m in August 2007 and scored nine league goals last term.

He was linked with a loan move to Liverpool in January.

Current Stoke strikers Tuncay, James Beattie and Dave Kitson have all been linked with moves away from the club.

Meanwhile, Pulis is hoping to tie up a move for West Ham's Czech Republic midfielder Radoslav Kovac.

Kovac only joined the Hammers a year ago from Spartak Moscow for £2m.

Pulis told BBC Radio Stoke: "We've made an offer and it's up to them to decide.

"We're the buying club, the ball's in their court."

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