Burton Albion have added another player to their ranks with the signing of former Everton and Reading midfielder Hope Akpan on a one-year deal.

Akpan, predominantly a central midfielder, joins the Brewers after the expiration of his contract at Blackburn Rovers at the end of last month.

The Everton academy graduate becomes Albion's sixth signing of the summer, after the captures of Stephen Warnock, Jake Buxton, Matty Lund, Luke Murphy and Liam Boyce.

The 25-year-old was one of eight players to be released by Blackburn following their relegation to League One, with Akpan making 25 appearances and scoring one goal last term.

A Nigerian international, the midfielder had to learn the game the hard way after leaving the Blues in 2011 without having made a single first-team appearance at Everton.

Dropping down to League Two Crawley Town, Akpan impressed in the two seasons he spent in West Sussex, and earned a move to Premier League side Reading in January 2013.

He made 63 appearances across two-and-a-half years in the Royal Blue, and a move to Blackburn followed after his contract was cancelled in August 2015.

As seems to be the case with the Brewers, they are developing quite the international contingent - with Akpan adding his Nigerian experience alongside Northern Ireland duo Matty Lund and Liam Boyce, and Australia's Jackson Irvine.

He will boost Albion's ranks in central midfield, and will hopefully prove to be another astute signing - with only the capture of Boyce coming at a cost to the Brewers.

Akpan's arrival will mean that, with Lund, Murphy, Jackson Irvine, Matt Palmer and Tom Naylor, there will be healthy competition for a first-team place in central midfield.

"I am buzzing to get it over the line, I knew about the club's interest a while ago," said Albion's newest arrival.

"I'm looking forward to get going in pre-season and make sure I am ready for the start of the season.

"The fans can expect me to be energetic in midfield, I like to tackle and hopefully I can also score a few goals."

As for Nigel Clough , he is pleased to have secured the services of a player they have looked out for for some time.

"He will give us something different in midfield, it says a lot about him to go from a Premier League academy to a League Two side shows something about his character. He's played in all four divisions and gained a promotion with Crawley," said the Brewers boss.

"I think last season it didn't work out for him and he's eager to get his career back on track."