Aberdeen complete Ifil transfer
Swindon defender Jerel Ifil
Ifil says he is looking forward to life in the Scottish Premier League
Jerel Ifil has signed a two-year contract with Aberdeen after being released by Swindon Town.
The 27-year-old defender had his contract terminated a year early by Swindon to allow him to move north.
"I am delighted to sign for Aberdeen," he told the club's website. "When the opportunity to come here arose it was one I was immediately interested in."
Ifil, who impressed on trial, could make his Scottish Premier League debut against Celtic on Saturday.
The defender had become surplus to requirements after the League One side recruited Scott Cuthbert from Celtic and former Kilmarnock defender Gordon Greer.
But he impressed on trial for the Dons, who gained permission to talk terms.
Ifil, who played for the Dons as they beat Hull City 1-0 in a benefit match for Dean Windass on Sunday, had been with Swindon since 2004.
"I really enjoyed the game and I could tell from our performance that there are a number of top quality players in the Aberdeen team," Ifil said.
The Englishman, who was also farmed out for a spell with Huddersfield Town, spent three loan spells with the League One side while with Watford before being sold for £70,000.
Swindon this summer paid Celtic more than £100,000 for the services of central defender Cuthbert, who had been on loan to Scottish Premier League rivals St Mirren last season.
They also signed former Clyde, Kilmarnock and Blackburn Rovers defender Gordon Greer from Doncaster Rovers.
Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee had been desperate to strengthen his defence after his side were hammered 8-1 on aggregate by Sigma Olomouc in Europa League qualifying.
The Dons lost Scott Severin to Watford during the summer, while Zander Diamond has missed the start of the season through injury.
Ifil was one of five trialists who featured in the second half against Hull. Playing in defence along with Ifil was central defender Idrissa Alassane - previously of French clubs Dieppe, Montivilliers and Normandie - the brother of Le Havre forward Amadou Alassane, who had an unsuccessful trial with Celtic this summer.
In midfield was Craig Rocastle, the 27-year-old who had a previous loan spell in the SPL with Hibernian, left Thrasivoulos Filis after their relegation from the Greek Super League and recently had a trial with Crewe Alexandra.
Alongside Rocastle was former Tottenham Hotspur, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Barnsley winger Rohan Ricketts, the 26-year-old who left Toronto and who has had a trial with Odense.
Also facing Hull was former Aldershot, Kingstonian and Dulwich Hamlet forward Mazin Ahmad.
McGhee promised a quick decision on whether to sign any of the trialists, delays in signing Reda Johnson from Amiens having allowed Plymouth Argyle to beat the Dons to the defender's signature
