January transfer window: Shrewsbury sign Aristote Nsiala

The 24-year-old centre-back has joined from League Two Hartlepool United for an undisclosed fee, signing a two-and-a-half year deal at Greenhous Meadow.

Nsiala, a DR Congo international, is well-known to boss Paul Hurst, having been part of his Grimsby Town team which won promotion from the National League Premier last season.

"I didn't want to lose him when I was at my previous club but he went elsewhere and I've watched his career with interest", the Shrewsbury manager told shrewsburytown.com.

"He's certainly someone I think very highly of, hence the reason why we've brought him here. He's got a lot of good attributes, he's a good person and I think he's someone who can step up the levels and be a big asset for this football club.

"He started out at Everton as a kid and it went a different route for him. He's ended up at Southport and then we signed him at Grimsby from there. He got his more to Hartlepool and he's working his way back up."

A former Everton trainee, Kinshasa-born Nsiala had loan spells at Macclesfield and Accrington before joining the latter on a permanent deal in May 2012. He then moved to Southport before spending two years with Hurst at Grimsby, leaving the Mariners for Hartlepool.