Aberdeen have signed defender Rory McArdle from Rochdale on a two-year deal.
McArdle signs two-year deal with Aberdeen
Aberdeen have signed defender Rory McArdle from Rochdale on a two-year deal.
The 23-year-old, who can play anywhere across the back, has just helped Dale to promotion from League Two.
He is out of contract this summer and was offered a new deal at Spotland but Aberdeen boss Mark McGhee has lured him to the Scottish top flight.
McArdle travelled to Pittodrie on Thursday to finalise the deal, which will see him become a Dons player on 1st July, when his Rochdale contract expires.
And Aberdeen will not have to pay Dale compensation for McArdle, who made 148 league appearances for the club, as he turned 23 before the end of the season.
"I'll be here in July and I'm looking forward to coming in, getting my head down for pre-season and seeing what Scottish football is about," he told the club's
official website.
"I've been in England and I'm only 23 so I'm looking to learn quite a bit.
"I came up and had a look around and he (McGhee) took me around the city.
Massive potential
"When you see the ground and look at the history of the club, I think there is massive potential here."
The former Northern Ireland Under-21 international started out with hometown club Sheffield Wednesday but only made two first-team appearances.
He joined Dale on loan during both the 2005/06 and 2006/07 seasons before making the move permanent in January 2007.
McArdle's form this season has seen him rewarded with a senior international call-up for their summer tour to the USA and Chile.
He will travel to Aberdeen before joining up with the Northern Ireland squad, which departs on Saturday for friendlies against Turkey and Chile.
Asked what sort of player Dons fans can expect, McArdle added: "Just a hard-working one, more than anything. I always give 100% if and when I play."
