Everton have signed defender Sylvain Distin from Portsmouth on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

The 31-year-old Frenchman completed the move today after passing a medical at the Goodison Park club's Finch Farm training ground.

Distin joins the club following the sale of Joleon Lescott to Manchester City and could make his debut against Wigan at Goodison on Sunday.

Everton manager David Moyes told the club website, www.evertonfc.com: "He'll give me a centre-half. I needed one before Joleon [Lescott] left and he'll give me a direct replacement for him. He's a left-footed centre-back, which I wanted.

"He's a bit older but more experienced and I look back at how well Davey Weir and Alan Stubbs did for us in their 30s, and I hope Sylvain can do the same.

"We need someone to come in and keep us steady because we want to be competing at the top end of the Premier League."

Distin joins striker Jo and midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov as summer signings at Everton.