The 30-year-old joins for £1.5m and has signed a three-and-a-half year deal with the Clarets.

Cort had been at Stoke since November 2007, initially on loan, before completing a then club record £1.2m move from Crystal Palace two years ago.

He played a key role in Stoke's promotion from the Championship in 2008 and made nine appearances last season to help keep the Potters in the Barclays Premier League before slipping down the pecking order this term.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis said: "Leon was an influential figure in the club's promotion triumph and was a dependable performer whenever called upon in our first season in the Premier League.

"We would like to thank him for his contribution to that success and wish him all the best in the future with his new club."

The most remarkable statistic of Cort's career is his impressive disciplinary record. Cort's last booking came in August 2009, but prior to that he had not been booked or sent off since April 2004, a run of over 150 competitive matches.