JONATHAN AFOLABI HAS signed for Shamrock Rovers, the club have confirmed.

The 26-year-old striker joins the Hoops on a multi-year deal from Belgian side KV Kortrijk.

Afolabi previously played with Rovers at schoolboy level and also spent a couple of years in Southampton’s youth academy.

The former Ireland underage international also spent time at Celtic, but failed to make a first-team breakthrough at Parkhead.

Afolabi also had loan spells at Dunfermline Athletic, Dundee, Ayr United and Airdrieonians, but it was after moving to Bohemians that his senior career took off.

15 goals in 37 Premier Division appearances led to the Dubliner’s move to Belgium at the end of 2023.

But Afolabi struggled to make an impact at Kortrijk amid an injury-ridden spell and was ultimately released by the club, following an unsuccessful loan stint with Dutch second-tier side Cambuur.

“We’re delighted to get this done because Jonathan had options here and also away in Belgium and England,” Stephen Bradley said. “So we’re delighted he sees the next step of his career at this club. Jonathan is a really good age, a really good profile for us and is someone I feel will complement the team and vice versa. We know he’s a player of really high ability who I believe will help us kick on to the next level.

“We’ve seen it many times; he has a bit of everything, but he’s definitely one who likes to play more central than a lot of our forwards would. There’s a reason we’ve tried so hard to get Jonathan, so well done to [Rovers' Director of Football] Ronan Finn, who worked tirelessly on it and to get it done in time for Europe, which is big for us. Jonathan will be a really important player for us.

“There won’t be any real bedding-in period. He had an injury this year, but he has worked hard to come back from it and has been training the last while. He won’t be 90 minutes ready yet, but it won’t be much in terms of mentally getting his head around it, being here, as he understands what the league is about.”