Bournemouth signs Gradel from Saint-Etienne

The deal sees Gradel, 27, return to a club where he previously spent two spells on loan during the 2007-08 season.

The transfer fee was not disclosed, but British media reports said Bournemouth had agreed to pay a fee of around £7 million ($10.9 million, 10 million euros).

"AFC Bournemouth have signed Ivory Coast international Max Gradel, subject to international clearance and Premier League approval, from St Etienne for an undisclosed fee," Bournemouth announced on their website.

Gradel was loaned to Bournemouth by Leicester City, who sold him to Leeds United in 2010 after a loan spell at Elland Road and 18 months later he moved to Saint-Etienne.

He excelled in the 2014-15 season, scoring 17 goals in 31 Ligue 1 games as Saint-Etienne secured a fifth-place finish that took them into the Europa League.

Gradel has been capped over 40 times by Ivory Coast, scoring eight goals, and was an influential member of the team that triumphed against Ghana in the final of this year's Africa Cup of Nations.

He is Bournemouth's seventh new signing of the transfer window.