Celtic have confirmed the signing of Joe Ledley from Cardiff City on a four-year contract. The 23-year-old was the subject of interest from Stoke City, but opted to move to the Bhoys following several trips to Glasgow for talks.

The Wales midfielder will now join up with his new team-mates on the club's pre-season tour of North America. Ledley is Neil Lennon's third signing of the summer following the arrival of fullbacks Charlie Mulgrew and Cha Du-Ri.

The player told his new club's online Channel 67: "Celtic is a massive club. I'm looking forward to the season and working with Neil and his coaching staff. I want to come here and win trophies.

"This is a great club and I'm looking forward to playing in front of a Celtic's great fans every week. This is the right time to leave Cardiff and look at my career. Hopefully we can win the league and cups, and it gives me the opportunity to play in Europe too."

The 32-time capped midfielder, whose Cardiff contract had expired after the end of last season, had been linked with a number of English Premier League clubs, including newly-promoted West Bromwich Albion, Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers.

"We really are delighted to welcome Joe to Celtic," said Lennon. "Clearly there were a number of clubs very interested in signing him, so we are very pleased he has chosen to come to Celtic, somewhere I think he can be a tremendous success."

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell added: "We are pleased to have beaten off competition from a number of English Premier League clubs for his signature, and we are sure he will be a great addition to our squad."