"It's An Exciting Challenge For Me"

Graeme Shinnie believes the time is right to challenge himself in English football after signing a pre-contract agreement with Derby County.

The 27-year-old will sign a three-year deal with the Rams when his contract with Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen concludes in the summer.

Shinnie started his career with Inverness Caledonian Thistle and made 187 appearances, scoring eight goals, before joining Aberdeen in 2015.

The midfielder has spent the last four seasons with the Dons and helped them to three successive second-placed finishes behind Celtic.

He was handed the captain’s armband in 2017 and made his debut for the Scottish National Team against Peru in May 2018.

After representing Aberdeen in European competitions, he now believes he is ready to make the step into English football.

“I’ve had four good years at Aberdeen and I feel like now, at my age, that this was the right time for me,” he told dcfc.co.uk. “Everything feels right for me so that’s why I’ve made the decision to move to Derby County.

“I’ve been the captain of Aberdeen, had so many happy memories at the club and my family have been settled but weighing everything up, this is the right move.

“I’ve not rushed into any sort of decision; I’ve thought long and hard about it, but this is my time to test myself in England and hopefully it works out.”

Shinnie will swap Pittodrie for Pride Park Stadium in the summer and believes in what Frank Lampard is trying to build with the Rams.

He has held conversations with the manager over recent weeks and has been impressed with what he has had to say.

With the pair sharing the same ambition, Shinnie is excited to move south and get started with the Rams.

“The size of the club, the ambitions of the club, the manager and the quality of players they have drew me in and it’s an exciting challenge for me,” Shinnie said. “It’s something I’m looking forward to and one that I can’t wait to get going.

“I know I can learn a lot from the manager. His ambitions for the club and the team, the way he likes to play and the way he can see me fitting in, all these little things add up to make me want to sign for the club.

“I’ve had a look around the training ground and the facilities are unbelievable. I went to the stadium as well, saw the pitch and how many fans come to watch the game and it excites me.

“It’s something I’m looking forward to and now it’s up to me to repay the faith and do the best I can.”