CHERRIES are set to shatter their club record transfer fee by signing Levante midfielder Jefferson Lerma.

The clubs reached a successful conclusion with the La Liga outfit accepting Cherries' final offer.

Lerma is due to discuss personal terms at Vitality Stadium early next week after a fee of around £25million, rising to £28m, was thrashed out.

The deal, the biggest in both clubs' history, would be subject to Lerma receiving a work permit and international clearance.   

Talks between the clubs have been ongoing for some weeks with Cherries having tabled a series of bids.

The latest offer eclipses the £20m Cherries paid to Chelsea for Nathan Ake 12 months ago.

Colombian international Lerma has been a long-time target for Cherries boss Eddie Howe.

Primarily a holding midfielder, Lerma has also been deployed at right-back and impressed for Levante last season, making 28 appearances in La Liga.

He penned a four-year deal with the Spanish top-flight outfit when he signed permanently, following a successful 12-month loan, from Atletico Huila for a fee of around €600,000 in July 2016.

Lerma's former club near his El Cerrito home in Colombia are understood to be entitled to a sizeable sell-on.

He extended his contract at the Ciutat de Valencia at the end of last season and played all four games for Colombia at the World Cup where they eventually went out on penalties to England following a feisty contest during which he was substituted in the second half.