Ifil says he is looking forward to life in the Scottish Premier League
Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee says new signing Jerel Ifil is "no John Terry" but will provide back-up in defence after being released by Swindon Town.
The 27-year-old defender, who had his contract terminated a year early by Swindon to allow him to move north, has signed a two-year deal at Pittodrie.
"We have not signed John Terry," McGhee told BBC Scotland.
"But he is a player who attacks the first ball, has a lot of experience, is still ambitious and wants to improve."
Ifil, who had been with Swindon since 2004, impressed on trial and played for the Dons as they beat Hull City 1-0 in a benefit match for Dean Windass on Sunday.
The Englishman had become surplus to requirements after the League One side recruited Scott Cuthbert from Celtic and former Kilmarnock defender Gordon Greer.
"For what we can afford, we have got a good deal," said McGhee, who had lost out to Plymouth Argyle to the signature of Reda Johnson.
McGhee boosts defensive options
"He will come in and give competition in the central defensive positions to Zander Diamond and Andrew Considine and, in the absence of either of them, will be an able replacement.
"So we have filled up the squad in a way that we have been desperate to do for a couple of weeks."
Ifil could make his Scottish Premier League debut against Celtic on Saturday should Diamond, who will undergo a Friday fitness test, fail to recover from injury.
And the new signing told the Dons' website: "I am delighted to sign for Aberdeen. When the opportunity to come here arose, it was one I was immediately interested in.
"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, 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.
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 and McGhee said he would be taking more time to make a decision over the others.
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.
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