Israeli defender Dekel Keinan is finally a Blackpool player, and it’s official!
The 25-year-old has been a long term summer target for Ian Holloway and was thought to have first signed over a month ago.
Reports over the past few weeks have said that a work permit problem, linked with his visa, and agent’s fees have seen the deal stall.
Keinan has now signed a one-year deal with the option of a second following his free transfer. It is expected he’ll go straight into the Pool squad for Saturday’s trip to Arsenal.
The new signing said: ‘I just want to play for Blackpool and with this team.
‘I had different offers but I met the gaffer and I was sure that I wanted to play for Blackpool.’
The central defender made over 130 appearances for Maccabi Haifa and is now a regular for his national team with 16 caps.
He has plenty of experience at Champions League level and should be perfect to play in the Seasiders’ crusade of the Premiership.
The deal was getting frustrating for all involved and Ian Holloway recently said: ‘It would just be nice to see Keinan. I have met the boy. He has been over and trained with us. But these God-awful work permits. These are the kind of things you get with some transfers.’
Now he is here and has the tricky task of dislodging either Ian Evatt or Chris Cathcart at the heart of the defence after the stunning 4-0 victory at Wigan.
In other news, the Bournemouth Chairman has denied that the Seasiders have bid £400,000 for striker Brett Pitman.
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