Jonathan Greening's season-long loan switch to Fulham from West Brom has been officially rubber-stamped.
The 30-year-old will spend the remainder of the 2009/10 campaign at Craven Cottage, with the view to a permanent agreement being struck next summer.
Greening's move to the Cottagers has dragged on for most of the summer, with Fulham seeing three bids for the midfielder knocked back before finally landing their man.
West Brom are understandably disappointed to be losing their talismanic skipper, as they look to bounce back into the Premier League at the first time of asking, but Baggies boss Roberto Di Matteo admits the club were left with little choice but to sanction a deal.
"Jonno has been a big player for this club and, as you well know, we made every effort to keep him," the Italian coach told the club's official website.
"But eventually we felt the deal on the table was a very good one for us and we decided to let him go. We wish him good luck. He's been a great servant for this club."
Di Matteo added: "At the moment, I think we have a very good squad with the players we've got. Let's not forget we have a couple of longer-term injuries with Ishmael Miller and James Morrison. I'm not going to rush into any decisions about another player."
Fulham FC statement
Fulham Football Club can today confirm the season-long loan signing of Jonathan Greening from West Bromwich Albion which, it is anticipated, will become a permanent move next summer.
The 30-year-old midfielder joined West Bromwich Albion from Middlesbrough in July 2004. Earlier in his career he spent more than three seasons at Manchester United, when he secured a £1m move to Old Trafford from York City in 1998.
Greening was nominated West Bromwich Albion's player of the season for 2005-06 and the previous season after he helped his side pull off a dramatic escape from relegation from the Premier League, when the 'Baggies' were at the bottom of the table going into their final match.
His outstanding performances didn't go unnoticed as he was given the captain's armband at the beginning of the 2007-08 season under former manager Tony Mowbray after featuring regularly in midfield. He has been a consistent player in the West Bromwich Albion side and has made 224 appearances since joining at the Hawthorns.