NEW Wanderers signing Dorian Dervite says the chance to work under former team-mate Dougie Freedman swung his decision to join the club.

The Whites confirmed Dervite as Freedman’s fifth summer signing yesterday and he will put pen to paper on a three-year contract once his deal at current club Charlton Athletic runs out on June 30.

The former France Under-21 centre-back rejected the offer of a contract extension at The Valley to join Wanderers on a free transfer and admits a big part in that decision was the manager who he played alongside briefly at Southend United five years ago.

“I knew the manager from our time at Southend together when I was on loan there from Tottenham,” Dervite told the club.

“I think he liked my style of play back then and he contacted me this summer to tell me that he was very interested in signing me.

“Once I knew that, I was more than happy to join the club and it has all happened very quickly.

“When we were at Southend, he was at the end his career and I was only at the beginning of mine, but even then you could see that he was going to be a good manager.

“He was always trying to help the younger players that were willing to learn and he gave me a lot of good advice – he definitely helped me a lot.”

Dervite joins Neil Danns, Liam Trotter, Liam Feeney and Andy Robinson in agreeing a permanent switch to Lancashire.

And while still only 25-years-old, he brings experience of playing regularly at Championship level for the Addicks and also on the continent with Villarreal in Spain having been with Tottenham before that.

He says there is still improvement to come and believes Wanderers can help him develop further.

Dervite added: “I’ve played in France and Spain as well as England, but I really don’t mind moving to different cities as I feel that I’m able to adapt quite well wherever I am, both on and off the pitch.

“I have played in the Championship for the past two years now – during my first season it was important for me to adapt to the league and its style of play, but in my second year I felt more comfortable and I think that people could see that in my play.

“Now I’m with Bolton, I hope that I can carry on improving and developing as a player.

“I like to play short from the back with a lot of short passes, so hopefully I can bring a bit of technicality to our game so we can win as many games as possible.

“I’ve finished the season quite strongly and I’m really looking forward to starting playing again because I was in a good condition and my confidence was very high, so hopefully I will be able to start well for Bolton.”