OXFORD United have signed Dutch right back Hidde ter Avest following his exit from FC Utrecht this summer.

The 27-year-old spent three and a half years with the Eredivisie side, following previous stints with FC Twente and Udinese.

This newspaper understands that Swansea City were previously interested in signing ter Avest.

He made his Eredivisie debut for Twente in February 2015, and played 10 times in the league during the 2014/15 campaign.

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His first league goal came the following season, the fourth in a 4-0 win at home against Heracles.

In total, ter Avest made 92 Eredivisie appearances for Twente before joining Serie A side Udinese in the summer of 2018.

He played in 13 league games during his debut season, and in total, played 39 times in Serie A before signing for Utrecht in January 2021.

He scored twice in his first six Eredivisie games for Utrecht, and left this summer after featuring in 91 league matches.

U’s head coach Des Buckingham told the club website: “Hidde is a very strong personality and another wonderful addition to our group. 

“He possesses so much in what we want from our full backs. He is strong, quick, and has great technical ability and we are confident he will be an important player for us going forward. 

“He has some excellent experience playing at high levels overseas and will bring different but vitally important qualities to complement our current group.”

ter Avest becomes the 14th player to join United this summer, following goalkeepers Jamie Cumming, Matt Ingram and Jacob Knightbridge, fellow full backs Jack Currie and Peter Kioso, midfield trio Idris El Mizouni, Louie Sibley and Will Vaulks, wingers Malcolm Ebiowei, Matt Phillips and Przemyslaw Placheta, and striker Dane Scarlett.

Indonesia winger Marselino Ferdinan signed for the U’s on a free transfer earlier this afternoon.