Dundee have signed former Mansfield defender Ryan Sweeney on a two-year deal.

The Republic of Ireland Under-21 international was the subject of a £250,000 move to then Premier League side Stoke but was forced to kick-start his career at Field Mill.

The 24-year-old cannot wait to get started with James McPake’s cinch Premiership new boys.

He told DeeTV: “Since I spoke to the manager, things moved pretty quick in the last week and I’m delighted to get it over the line.

“My agent asked if I wanted to look into coming up here and my initial reaction was ‘100% yeah’, it will be a new challenge for me, a new experience and one I’m looking forward to.

“The club did fantastically well to get themselves out of the Championship, obviously that is a huge pull to come and play Premiership football.

“I always give 100%, when I put the shirt on and represent the football club that is one thing the fans here will see from me, a player that is going to run through a brick wall for them and for my team-mates, that is the best way to describe myself.”