Aberdeen have strengthened their attacking options with the signing of Belgian forward Mitchy Ntelo from Swiss club Yverdon-Sport, the club has confirmed. The 25-year-old joins on a two-year contract, with an option for an additional season, after the two clubs agreed a deal for an undisclosed fee.
Ntelo, who is capable of playing as a central striker or out wide, brings a wealth of experience from spells across Belgium, the Netherlands, and Bulgaria. He began his career at Standard Liege, his hometown club, before enjoying a successful loan spell in the Netherlands with MVV Maastricht. He later moved to Charleroi and then to Bulgarian side Lokomotiv Plovdiv, before joining Yverdon-Sport two years ago.
After Yverdon-Sport's relegation from the Swiss top flight, Ntelo spent time on loan at Botev Vratsa earlier this year, where he impressed with six goals in six starts. Across his career so far, he is closing in on 150 appearances and has netted 30 goals, underlining his reputation as a reliable attacking option.
Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson expressed his delight at finally securing the forward after a lengthy pursuit. "We've tracked Mitchy for some time and we're delighted to finally bring him to Aberdeen," Robinson said. He went on to highlight the qualities that convinced the club to move for the player, describing him as "tall, exceptionally quick and, importantly for us, is equally comfortable playing as a central striker or in the wide areas."
Robinson also touched on the tactical flexibility Ntelo could offer the squad, noting that while the majority of his goals have come from central positions, there is belief within the club that he can also thrive on the flanks. "We believe he has all the attributes to make a real impact from the flanks. He gives us another dimension in those positions while still providing genuine competition at centre-forward whenever we need it," the manager added.
For his part, Ntelo spoke of his excitement at joining a club with such a strong footballing tradition. "This is a big step for me, in terms of joining a club with such a great support and history, so it is a proud moment to be here," he said. He also revealed his eagerness to complete the move once he learned of Aberdeen's interest. "When I heard a team like Aberdeen wanted to sign me, I was desperate to make this happen. I know this club is one of the biggest teams in the league," Ntelo added.
The versatile forward's arrival is expected to provide Robinson with greater tactical options heading into the new campaign, whether deployed centrally or stretching opposition defenses from wide areas. His track record of goal contributions across multiple leagues suggests he could quickly adapt to the demands of Scottish football.
Aberdeen fans will now be eager to see how quickly Ntelo can settle into his new surroundings and begin contributing on the pitch. With his blend of pace, height, and positional flexibility, the Belgian could prove to be a valuable addition to the squad as the club looks to build depth and competition across its attacking positions for the upcoming season.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.