Aimen Belaid and Alex Cairns join Rotherham United
Friday 8 January 2016 16:14, UK
Rotherham have signed Tunisian defender Aimen Belaid and goalkeeper Alex Cairns.
Belaid, 27, has penned a two-and-a-half year deal with the Millers, who also secured a loan move for Shay Facey from Manchester City at the start of the January transfer window.
Millers boss Neil Redfearn believes the experience of Belaid from Levski Sofia will prove invaluable in the battle to stay in the Sky Bet Championship.
"Aimen is certainly a talented individual. He has a good pedigree, after playing for one or two clubs across Europe, and he also has fantastic athleticism which is something that will help us," Redfearn told the club's official website.
"He is technically a very good footballer, he is good on the ball and he can play at centre-back, left-back and in midfield.
"He will add to some really strong competition for the first-team and he is someone who comes in at a time when we need strengthening.
"From our point of view he is someone who is more than capable of going in and making an impact straight away."
Cairns, who came through the ranks at Leeds under Millers boss Neil Redfearn, has penned a contract until the end of the season with the club having the option of an extra year.
The 23-year-old left League One Chesterfield on Thursday at the end of his short-term deal, having failed to make a first-team appearance.
His arrival could mean an exit for Adam Collin, who has played just two games this season.
Redfearn said: "He is coming to compete for a place, whether Adam Collin goes out we will have to wait and see.
"We want to bring competition in anyway. It's a bit of a dicey ground just having two keepers, you should be having three.
"Alex is someone I know from Leeds United, I was surprised when they let him go. Alex was number two to Paddy Kenny at Leeds, he is a young goalkeeper, a very strong boy with a strong character."
