Gillingham have signed experienced defender Gabriel Zakuani on a free transfer.

The 30-year-old former Fulham centre-back becomes the third signing of the summer for head coach Ady Pennock, arriving at Priestfield on a one-year deal.

Zakuani follows hot on the heels of two other defensive signings, former Yeovil man Alex Lacey and Luke O'Neill from Southend, as Pennock sets about bolstering a defence that had major issues during the last campaign.

Pennock said: "I'm really pleased to get Gabriel on board. Naturally he was attracting interest from other clubs but I'm delighted he has committed his future to us for the forthcoming season.

"Along with Alex and Luke, he will provide stern competition for places in defence, and we very much look forward to working with him."

Zakuani said: "I'm delighted to have joined Gillingham. As soon as I met the manager and Peter Taylor I felt it was the right place to continue my career and I can't wait to get going.

"The management have made some great signings already and I'll do my best to help push the club up the League 1 table."

The 6ft 1inch defender started his career with Leyton Orient but moved to Championship side Fulham in a £1m deal.

Pennock will have known Zakuani when the pair were at Stoke City together, with the Gills boss part of the backroom team at the time.

Zakuani had a season long loan with The Potters and helped the club win promotion to the Premier League. He would later enjoy two promotions during a roller-coaster time with Peterborough United, where he clocked up over 150 league appearances.

He had a spell in Greece and two more years at Peterborough before moving to Northampton last summer, playing 21 league games for the Cobblers in League 1. Away from football, he once appeared in a Dizzee Rascal music video.

Northampton boss Justin Edinburgh decided against offering the defender a new deal as he wasn’t comfortable with the player’s international commitments.

The defender has played 25 games for the Democratic Republic of the Congo‘s national football team.

Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony mentioned the player’s international commitments when asked about the player on twitter.

He said: “Great man/great character and plenty years left in (the) tank. If he retires from international duty he’d be one (of the) best CBs in League 1.”