Hibernian have strengthened their attacking options with the signing of Wales international winger Rabbi Matondo, who has put pen to paper on a deal running until the end of the season, with the club holding the option to extend his stay by a further year.
The 26-year-old arrives at Easter Road after a period on trial with the Scottish Premiership club, and his capture marks the first signing made by new Hibs manager Marink Reedijk since he took charge last month, succeeding David Gray in the dugout.
Matondo is no stranger to Scottish football, having spent close to four years at Rangers before his move to Hibernian. During his time in Glasgow, he made 70 appearances for the Ibrox club, with roughly two thirds of those coming in the Premiership. He scored eight goals during his Rangers career, all but one of them in the top flight, and notably found the net against Hibernian themselves. While at Rangers, Matondo also had a loan spell in Germany with Hannover.
The winger's career has since taken him across Europe. He has turned out for German side Schalke, English club Stoke City, and Belgian outfit Cercle Brugge. Most recently, Matondo spent five months with Norwegian club Brann before departing the side in August, leaving him searching for a new club prior to his trial at Hibernian.
On the international stage, Matondo has represented Wales on 15 occasions, with his most recent cap coming last year. That same year also brought his first and so far only international goal, scored in a 3-1 win over Kazakhstan.
Reedijk, who took charge of Hibs last month, revealed that Matondo made a strong impression during the club's training camp in La Manga during the recent international break. The Dutch manager praised the winger's attitude and eagerness to fit into his new surroundings.
"He made an immediate impression during our time in La Manga and has shown a great attitude, strong application and a real willingness to learn and adapt," Reedijk said.
The Hibs boss also highlighted the qualities Matondo is expected to bring to the team going forward, pointing to his pace and directness as key attributes that could pose problems for opposition defenses.
"Rabbi gives us pace, directness and a real threat in wide areas, while also bringing a positive personality into the dressing room," he added.
Reedijk expressed optimism about how quickly the winger has adapted to his new environment, suggesting that Matondo is already settling into life at the club ahead of what the club hopes will be an impactful spell in Edinburgh.
"He has settled in quickly and we are looking forward to working with him and seeing the impact he can make," Reedijk said.
The signing represents an early statement of intent from Reedijk as he looks to put his own stamp on the Hibernian squad following his appointment. With his pace and directness in wide areas, Matondo will be expected to provide a fresh attacking dimension for Hibs as the season progresses, with supporters eager to see how the Welsh international adapts to his new surroundings on the pitch.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.