PARTICK THISTLE have announced the signing of former West Ham defender Tunji Akinola on a one-year deal.
The 22-year-old, who can play through the middle and at right-back, spent 14 years in the London club's youth academy and was shipped out on loan to Leyton Orient in the English fourth tier last season, making 34 appearances and establishing himself as a first-team regular.
The centre-half left the Premier League club this summer after his contract expired and went for a trial at Doncaster before being snapped up on a short-term deal by the Jags.
Akinola will be available for selection for this weekend's Championship trip to Gayfield, with Thistle manager Ian McCall determined to help the promising youngster develop and get all-important game time in the professional game.
"Tunji has been in training with us for a week or two and we’re pleased to get him signed up for the season," he told the Thistle website. "He’s a strong, composed defender with plenty of pace who at the age of 22 still has plenty of improvement in him.
"He’s comfortable in either the centre of defence or at right-back so he’ll really add to the competition and depth of the squad. We’ve now got a very strong core of defensive options to select from."
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