Glentoran Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of central defender Zeno Ibsen Rossi following the termination of his contract with English League One side Cambridge United.

The 25-year-old arrives at The BetMcLean Oval after Glentoran secured his signature despite strong interest from clubs across the UK and Ireland.

A product of the academies at Brentford, Southampton and AFC Bournemouth, Ibsen Rossi signed his first professional contract with the Cherries in 2019 before making seven senior appearances as Scott Parker’s side secured automatic promotion to the Premier League during the 2021/22 campaign.

Seeking regular first-team football, he enjoyed a successful loan spell with Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock during the 2020/21 season, making 20 appearances and scoring once, before returning to Scotland with Dundee during the second half of the following campaign.

A permanent move to Cambridge United followed in the summer of 2022, where he made 60 appearances across four seasons before spending the first half of 2026 on loan with League of Ireland Premier Division champions Shelbourne.

The defender made nine league appearances for Shelbourne, scoring once, and arrives at Glentoran fully match fit after playing regular first-team football throughout the opening half of the year.

His experience across England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland, coupled with his age profile and ability to play in a number of defensive systems, made him one of Glentoran’s priority defensive targets this summer.

Speaking after completing his move to Glentoran, Zeno Ibsen Rossi said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be here. Glentoran is a massive football club with a brilliant history and, once I spoke to Declan, Paddy and Paul, I knew it was the right place for me.

“It was clear from those conversations how ambitious everyone is and what the Club is looking to achieve. As a player, that’s exactly the sort of environment you want to be in. You want to be competing at the top end of the table, challenging for trophies and playing in big games, and that’s what attracted me to Glentoran.

“I’ve reached a stage in my career where I want to keep pushing myself and taking on new challenges. I feel I’ve developed a lot over the last few years playing in England, Scotland and Ireland, and now I’m looking forward to bringing that experience here and doing everything I can to help the team be successful.

“I know what this football club means to its supporters and the expectations that come with wearing the shirt. I’m excited to get started, play in front of the fans at The Oval and hopefully create some special memories together over the next few years.”

The 25-year-old becomes Glentoran’s second signing of the summer, following midfielder Greg Sloggett’s arrival at The BetMcLean Oval, as Declan Devine continues to add proven quality and experience to his squad ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Declan Devine, Glentoran First Team Manager, said: “Bringing another centre-half into the squad was one of our priorities this summer, so we’re delighted to get Zeno through the door.

“Paddy and I have watched him on a number of occasions over the last few years, both in England and more recently in the League of Ireland, so we know exactly the type of player we’re bringing in. He’s someone we’ve liked for a long time and, when the opportunity came up, we felt it was one we had to move on.

” He’s got all the qualities we wanted. He’s strong, athletic, comfortable on the ball and he’s played a lot of senior football for someone who’s still only 25. Just as importantly, he’s a competitor. He enjoys defending, he’s good in both boxes and he has the character to cope with the demands that come with playing for a club like Glentoran.

“We’ve got good competition across the squad and it’s important we continue to add quality in key areas. Zeno gives us that. He’ll strengthen us defensively, he’ll bring experience into the group and I believe he’ll be a really important player for us over the coming seasons.”

Paul Millar, Glentoran Sporting Director, said: “Strengthening the centre of our defence was one of our priorities this summer, but it was important we brought in the right player. We wanted someone who would genuinely improve the squad and add real competition in that area.

“Zeno is a player we’ve watched for a long time, so we know exactly what we were getting. He’s got an excellent football background, a lot of senior experience for someone who’s still only 25 and we felt he was the right fit for this football club.

“There was interest from elsewhere, but he really wanted to come to Glentoran. That’s important because you want players who are fully committed to representing this club and are excited by the opportunity to be here.

“Another big positive is that he’s arriving ready to go. He’s been playing regularly, he’s match fit and he’ll be able to compete straight away, which is a real benefit at this stage of the season.

“We’re delighted to get the deal completed. We believe Zeno will be a really strong addition to the squad and we’re looking forward to seeing the impact he can make in a Glentoran shirt.”