Since he caused a bit of a barny between Leeds United and Chelsea following his move to Stamford Bridge as a precocious youth, there have been plenty of murmurs about the directions football has taken him.

A spell with Carlisle United followed his departure from Chelsea and last week he hopped over the border to join Hibernian, the paperwork on his two-year contract ratified by the Scottish Football Association yesterday. It brought some ungracious remarks from Greg Abbott, the Carlisle manager, who was perturbed that the midfielder had alighted in Leith despite having rejected a new contract at Brunton Park as he wanted to move closer to his family in Yorkshire.

Taiwo was introduced to Hibs supporters at half-time during their 2-1 win over Kilmarnock on Saturday and was given a warm reception. Yet Abbott suggested that his former player would have been "a little upset" that he has ended up with Hibs.

"I think it's just a crime that he's not playing his football here with us," said the Carlisle manager. "We offered him a terrific deal, he probably got advised wrongly, and he's probably a little bit upset he's ended up there. But there was nobody else interested in Tom, so that forces his hand and gives him a bit of an excuse to say why he arrived in Scotland. Nobody else actually wanted him, which does surprise me."

The 22-year-old will keep his own counsel on the move but he was impressive in his enthusiasm for the challenge facing him at Easter Road. Pat Fenlon, the Hibs manager, does not expect his new player to be fully fit for a week or so but Taiwo does not lack excitement about his arrival in Edinburgh.

"Everything about this move seemed right and I'm looking forward to working hard, learning and putting everything I can into making the team successful," he said. "I knew that the manager had been interested in me and spending a couple of days with the squad at the training centre convinced me to become a Hibernian player. I'm really looking forward to the challenge, I know that Hibernian is a fantastic club.

"First of all, I'll be trying to establish myself in the team. Then, my next goal would be just to play as many games as possible and to help Hibernian to qualify for the Europa League – every player wants to experience [that]."