Fulham sign Norwegian defender

Riise will link up with his brother, Bjorn Helge, at Craven Cottage.

“I’m delighted to have completed my transfer to Fulham this morning and am looking forward to playing in the Premier League once again,” Riise told the club’s official website.

“Fulham is a club that I have been following as my brother, Bjorn, plays here and he speaks very highly of the club and the staff. Obviously I also played against the club in the Europa league group stage when they went on to reach the final of the competition.

“I know that the club is ambitious, and continues to make good progress each year, under the guidance of the chairman Mohamed Al Fayed. I am looking forward to working with Martin Jol and the rest of the squad when I report to training next week.”

Fulham boss Martin Jol is delighted with the signing of the 30-year-old former Liverpool defender.

“John Arne Riise is an experienced international left-back who will bring a number of qualities to our squad and provide more options for me,” said Jol.

“He is used to performing at the very highest level for both club and country, and is an accomplished player defensively, who can also contribute to our attacking play.

“I am extremely happy that we’ve been able to add him to our squad, and believe that he will prove a valuable addition as we progress.”