Motherwell FC is delighted to confirm midfielder Gaël Bigirimana has joined the club on a two-year deal.
The 23-year old Burundi International joins the Steelmen on a Bosman free from English League One side Coventry City, rejecting several offers from clubs south of the border.
Bigirimana was born in the Central African country, but moved to the United Kingdom in 2004 and signed for Coventry a year later, eventually making his debut for the Sky Blues in August 2011.
A year later, English Premier League side Newcastle reportedly paid a seven-figure fee for the midfielder, signing him on a five-year contract.
He played both in the Premier League and in the Europa League for the Toon, scoring his first senior goal against Wigan in December 2012.
In February 2015, Rangers beat off competition from the Steelmen to take Bigirimana on loan, but illness at that time prevented him playing any football whilst in Scotland.
He was soon back at Coventry though, firstly on loan then eventually on a permanent transfer, the highlight of his second spell coming in a scoring performance in the 2016-17 EFL Trophy Final against Oxford United, which Coventry went on to win 2-1 back in April 2017. He finished the campaign winning several of the Cov Player of the Year awards!
Despite representing England at youth International level, Bigirimana has one cap to his name when he represented Burundi against the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Speaking of his move back north, Gaël said: “I’m very excited and first of all I thank God for this. I know Motherwell has a great history and I look forward to pulling on the top.”
He added: “I’ve met the manager before when he was at Oldham and I was playing for Coventry, I had a really good game and afterwards he came up to me and told me that but I told him it wasn’t even my best yet.”
‘Well boss Stephen Robinson added: “Gaël is a super signing for us, he gives us something we’ve been missing in midfield and comes with a great pedigree, having played at a very good level.
“His desire to come and play for Motherwell and to the Scottish Premiership sold him to me just as much as his ability – Gael is a real coup for Motherwell.”