Scottish Premiership club Hibernian has officially announced the signing of former Nigeria U20 international Marvin Ekpiteta. The central defender has signed a three-year deal with Hibs following the expiration of his contract with EFL League One side Blackpool.

Ekpiteta, 28, trained with Nigeria’s Flying Eagles in 2013 before the FIFA U20 World Cup but did not make the final squad for the tournament in Turkey. He later made his debut for England C in a friendly against Estonia U23s in October 2018.

During his time at Blackpool, Ekpiteta made 143 appearances across all competitions, scoring twelve goals and providing four assists. His standout season with the Seasiders came in 2021-2022, when he was named Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year. The following season, he captained the team on multiple occasions and scored against Premier League side Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup third round.

Hibernian manager David Gray praised Ekpiteta, describing him as a big, strong, and athletic central defender who is an asset in both defensive and attacking scenarios.

Ekpiteta’s career has included stints at Oxford United, Chelmsford City, Witham Town, Concord Rangers, East Thurrock United, and Leyton Orient before joining Blackpool in July 2020.

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