Tomáš Černý joins Hibs on deal until end of season

Cerny, 29, had been in Greece since the summer after penning a two-year agreement with Ergotelis but declared himself delighted to have secured a return to Scottish football.

Cerny and his Scottish wife Laura are expecting their first baby next month and, having also spent two seasons in Bulgaria with CSKA Sofia, the pair were keen to move closer to her family in Kilmarnock ahead of the impending arrival.

The former Czech Republic under-21 cap, who was a huge fans’ favourite during five years with Accies, trained with Hibs last week and was impressed enough by the Championship contenders to agree a short-term contract that will see him compete with on-loan Hull City number one Mark Oxley for a starting berth

Cerny said: “I’m very happy to be back in Scottish football and delighted to be joining a club like Hibernian.

“I have been training with the club for the last week or so and I have been very impressed with everything – the great training centre and stadium, the coaches and the staff, and the rest of the players. There is a great team of people at the club.

“There were a combination of reasons why I wanted to come back to Scottish football but one is we are expecting a baby in four weeks and we wanted to be back closer to my wife’s family.

“I’m delighted I will be with Hibs for the rest of the season. There was interest from other clubs who wanted me to train with them but Hibs contacted me first and I decided they were the best option for me.

“I will do my absolute best in every training session and in every game I get to play. I know Mark has done well this season and I’m here to help him, to push him to play better. I’ll wait for a chance to play in the first-team and if I get one I’ll try and take it and show what I can do.”

Head coach Alan Stubbs has made no secret of his desire to bring in a more experienced keeper to put pressure on Oxley, having had just 20-year-old Kleton Perntreou as back-up since the summer.

The Easter Road outfit had former Sweden under-21 keeper Marcus Sandberg on trial last month but have turned to Cerny instead. Stubbs said: “We’re delighted to get Tomas.”

Cerny joins former Paris Saint Germain and Ivory Coast under-23 striker Franck Dja Djedje and on-loan Dundee striker Martin Boyle in being added to the Hibs squad for their promotion push in the second half of the campaign.