Ghana captain Jordan Ayew says he is excited to begin a new chapter at Sheffield United after completing a move to the Championship club.

The 34-year-old forward has signed a one-year contract with the Blades as a free agent following the expiry of his deal with Leicester City at the end of last season.

Speaking to the club’s media team, Ayew praised manager Chris Wilder and the club’s hierarchy for their determination to secure his signature, revealing that he accepted the offer without hesitation.

“I’m really, really pleased to be here. The manager and the club made a great effort to get me here as quick as possible, so I want to thank everyone for their support and for bringing me over to the Blades,” he said.

Ayew added that Sheffield United reminded him of his time at Crystal Palace, a club where he spent six seasons in the Premier League.

“It reminds me a bit of where I was a few years ago, and that was obviously Palace, so a bit similar. I really like it, and I’m really looking forward to the season and getting to know more about the club as well.”

The experienced Ghana international revealed that negotiations moved quickly after receiving a call from Wilder while he was in Ghana.

“It happened really, really quickly because I was in Ghana and the manager called me last week. I didn’t think twice; I just took the opportunity,” he said.

Ayew said his priority is to help Sheffield United enjoy a successful campaign and believes the squad has the quality to achieve its ambitions.

“The most important thing is for me to help the team and obviously for us to have a great season. I have a lot of desire this season to make an impact and to help the team because we have a good squad and there’s a lot of positive things we can do.”

Ayew arrives at Bramall Lane with a wealth of experience, having made more than 500 senior appearances during a career that has included spells with Marseille, Sochaux, Lorient, Aston Villa, Swansea City, Crystal Palace and Leicester City.