Leon Cort has left the Potters, signing for top flight rivals Burnley in a deal worth an initial £1.5m, and potentially rising to £2m.
Cort, once a club record signing when he joined the Potters for £2m from Crystal Palace in January 2008 following a successful loan spell, and played a key role in the Potters promotion, partnering Ryan Shawcross in the centre of defence.
The ex-Hull and Southend defender lost his place for the second half of last season and has been frozen out this season due to the form of Abdoulaye Faye, Ryan Shawcross, Danny Higginbotham and Robert Huth and has signed a three-and-a-half year deal at Turf Moor.
Cort played 53 times for the Potters, scoring eight goals.