West Brom sign Zoltan Gera

West Brom have completed the signing of their former midfielder Zoltan Gera after his contract at Fulham expired earlier this summer.

Gera, who spent four years at The Hawthorns before leaving for Craven Cottage in 2008, has passed a medical and put pen to paper on a two-year contract with the club holding an option for a further 12 months.

The 32-year-old Hungary international is currently recovering from an ankle injury and is likely to be available for first-team action by mid-September.

Albion boss Roy Hodgson was delighted to be reunited with the playmaker he also signed for Fulham three years ago.

"Having decided not to renew his contract at Fulham, Zoltan has come back to the club where he started his career in England," Hodgson said on http://www.wba.co.uk.

"The last time he played at West Bromwich Albion he was a very popular figure with everyone at the club, not least of all the fans.

"I of course know him well and admired him in the two years we worked together at Fulham, where he was an integral part of the team that did well during those years.

"I think it is a massive coup for the club that we have been able to persuade him to come back to West Brom despite the many other offers he had, because he is a player that is widely appreciated in the Premier League and abroad.

"I think it is an excellent signing and he is a player I hope will do as well in the coming seasons as he has done in the past seasons with West Brom and Fulham.

"In Zoltan Gera we've acquired not only a first-class player but a first-class person and we think that's also important to the way we want the club to move forward."

The player became a fans' favourite during his previous spell with the midlands club, helping the Baggies pull off the 'Great Escape' in avoiding relegation in 2005.

He scored 25 times in 155 appearances for Albion after moving to England from Ferencvaros in a £1.375million deal.

He also made a big impression at Fulham, where he was voted player of the year in 2009/10 and helped the London club reach the Europa League final that season.

In total, he has made 196 club starts in England and 80 appearances from the bench, scoring 42 times.

Source:PA