Josh Vela has agreed a three-year deal to join Hibernian.
The 25-year-old left Bolton Wanderers at the end of the 2018-19 season and the Scottish Premiership outfit have acted quickly to secure his services.
A versatile player
Vela spent 18 years at the University of Bolton Stadium and he established himself as a fans favourite during his time there.
His versatility and ability to adapt to different positions was something that endeared him to the fans. He was deployed at right-back under ex-Hibs boss and current Celtic boss Neil Lennon.
However, Vela has primarily been played in the centre of midfield and it looks likely that is where he will be played by new boss Paul Heckingbottom.
Re-united with a familiar face
Vela becomes Heckinbottom's seventh signing of the summer and he joins striker Christian Doidge in the door at Easter Road, a player who he played with at Bolton last season.
Heckingbottom could not hide his delight at securing the services of a player of Vela's quality and he admitted he played the long game when trying to get the midfielder to join the Edinburgh side. He told Hibernian FC: "I’m delighted to have been able to sign Josh.
“He will add energy and a competitive edge to our midfield.
“Josh is an all-round midfielder with the athleticism to support attacks and play on the front foot, helping us win the ball back.
“He was worth the wait and I’m glad we were patient in order to land him."
Meanwhile, Vela admitted that his new boss played a huge part in swaying him to join the club. He said: "Hibernian were persistent when I had offers from other teams and that played a big part in me coming here.
“The manager went into real detail about he wants from me – as a person and tactically – and I feel like I can help him achieve what he wants to do with the club."