Dunfermline: James McPake on signing ex-Aberdeen man Kieran Ngwenya

However, the Pars boss has insisted that the 21-year-old has different attributes to bring to his squad, explaining that they "weren't trying to bring a Josh Edwards back to the club".

Yesterday (Thursday) Dunfermline completed the signing of former Kelty Hearts loanee Ngwenya on a two-year deal, following his departure from Aberdeen during the close season.

A League Two winner at New Central Park in 2022, where he played 27 times, the Glasgow-born, Malawi international cap has had loan spells with Raith Rovers and Partick Thistle in each of the last two seasons respectively.

The Jags, for whom he made 21 appearances, were interested in taking him back on a permanent basis, whilst English Football League (EFL) Championship outfit, Queens Park Rangers, were also monitoring him.

Ngwenya, though, chose to move to KDM Group East End Park, where he has been earmarked by McPake to fill the shoes left by Edwards, who departed for Charlton Athletic after five years with the club.

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"I’m delighted to sign Kieran. We’ve been talking to him for a good two or three weeks and he had a good few options," the Pars manager explained.

"But he joined the group on Thursday and he’s in good condition. He’s a good athlete and a good player, and one we’re looking forward to working with.

"I saw him last season, and the season before, and from watching all the clips as well. He was excellent in one game in particular against us.

Kieran Ngwenya has signed a two-year deal with Dunfermline. (Image: Craig Brown.)

"He played right-back against Josh Edwards, who he’s obviously come in to replace. We weren’t great as a team that day, but normally Josh would always be an out-ball for us. Kieran playing right-back that day was every bit a match for Josh, even playing on his weak side.

"So, he’s got plenty of potential, his background has been great, and what I like about him is he’s played a lot of football.

"He’s been at clubs, he’s played first-team and he’s been round about that, so he’s certainly not a young kid, like Ewan Otoo or Kane Ritchie-Hosler, who’s not played many first-team games.

"Kieran’s a completely different profile and a completely different player to when we got them.

"In terms of what we’re looking to do and how we want to play, profile-wise he was the one who stood out.

"I was very conscious of saying we weren’t trying to bring a Josh Edwards back to the club. Kieran has got a load of different qualities.

"Josh is more experienced now, he’s 60 or 70 games down the line, and you develop that as a player.

"I think getting Kieran at this point is great, what he can do. He’s very attack-minded but equally comfortable defending as well.

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"He’s a real athlete, really quick and powerful. He’s aggressive on the ball as well; he puts great deliveries into the box.

"You never want to say it, because it comes back as either you’re putting pressure on the player or being bitter, and it’s neither of those two, but we want to upgrade the squad.

"It’s ever so hard when you lose a player like Josh Edwards, but we believe in bringing Kieran in, we can get him going and be equally as good on that left-hand side, and hopefully a bit better as well."

McPake added: "He’s played a lot of football. Had we gone and signed a very experience left-back, people would have said, ‘he’s a good age and he’s coming into a young group’.

“We decided the profile we wanted was Kieran’s. Hence the reason why we’ve waited so long on him.

“It must have been two weeks ago I met him here, and there’s been constant dialogue day to day.

“There’s been back and forth and options here and there, but we’re just delighted to get it done.

“I think he fits the squad pretty well in the way he is powerful and quick and a fit young lad, and we’ll work with him and try to make him better, and that’s all you can ever ask of any player you bring in."