Aberdeen complete first signing of the summer

Aberdeen have completed the signing of Ryan Hedges on a three-year deal, the club have announced.

Ryan Hedges joins Aberdeen from Barnsley.

The winger joins on a pre-contract and will officially become a member of Derek McInnes' side when his deal at Barnsley runs out on 1 July.

Hedges helped the League One side to win promotion back to the English Championship, finishing second in the table. He made 25 appearances last term, most of which came from the substitutes bench.

Ryan Hedges joins Aberdeen from Barnsley.

He can play on either way and up front and will bolster Aberdeen's attacking options with Gary Mackay-Steven expected to exit the club in the coming weeks.

The 23-year-old told the club's website that friend Danny Ward, who had a successful spell on loan from Liverpool three seasons ago, was a key influence in him signing for the Dons.

He said: “I am quite close with Danny Ward who came here, and he didn’t have a bad word to say. He said if this move ever came about I should take it with both hands - and I’m here!”

The Wales international was originally signed by Swansea City as a teenager after a string of impressive performances at Flint Town United in the Welsh second tier.

He wouldn't make the breakthrough at the Libery Stadium, instead embarking on a series of loan moves at Leyton Orient, Stevenage and Yeovil Town before signing for Barnsley, then in the Championship, in January 2017.