Riordan reunited with his first love

HIBERNIAN invested around £500,000 in a flurry of deadline-beating transfer activity yesterday which was completed by securing the return of Derek Riordan from Celtic.

The 25-year-old striker has signed a three-year deal, bringing to an end two unhappy seasons at Parkhead following his £170,000 transfer from Easter Road two years ago.

Hearts were also interested in Riordan, but it is understood the Tynecastle club were more interested in a loan deal than a purchase, and Hibs secured the player's services with a solid bid.

Riordan, who made 32 appearances for Celtic, scoring eight goals, said on Celtic's website: "I would like to thank Celtic and the supporters for the opportunity to have played for the club, but I am looking forward to this move and to the future with Hibs."

Riordan failed to earn a regular first-team place with Celtic and publicly vented his frustration earlier this year.

He returns to the club he has always supported, and where he spent six years as a player. He made his professional debut in 2001 and went on to finish as the club's top scorer for three straight seasons until 2005.

Riordan will be officially unveiled by Hibs this afternoon but manager Mixu Paatelainen, a former team-mate of the marksman, was in no doubt of the significance of his latest signing.

He said: "I'm absolutely delighted. He's a goal scorer, first and foremost, and he did tremendously well when he was previously at the club.

"He likes scoring goals and he also brings us quality in terms of his deliveries from set pieces.

"He broke into the Hibs first-team when I was in my last years and everybody realised how good technically he was and how good a striker of the ball he was. He had quite an unpleasant stay at Celtic but that is now over and he comes to Hibs.

"I don't think it's about showing people anything. I'm sure he is just relishing the chance to come to Hibs and play again and do what he does best. It's not a matter of proving people wrong.

"He's now with Hibs and I'm sure he is delighted. That's what he's telling me and you can see it in his face.

"He feels strongly about the club and I'm sure all the Hibs fans will welcome him back."

The move is set to give the club a lift following a poor start to the season in which they have won only one of their five matches, largely thanks to a failure to take chances in front of goal.

The Easter Road side also brought in centre-back Sol Bamba from Dunfermline Athletic, and released defender Martin Canning and midfielder Brian Kerr.

Ivory Coast international Bamba has signed a three-year contract. The 23-year-old, a powerful 6'3" central defender joins Hibernian after having spent the last two years with Dunfermline Athletic where he made over 50 first team appearances. He recently returned from representing his country at the Olympics in Beijing.

Paatelainen said he was delighted to have acquired Bamba's services. "He is a player with tremendous pace and physical presence that will most definitely help bolster our defence.

"Sol has been a target for a number of clubs and I'm delighted that given the options open to him he has chosen to join Hibernian."