CHERRIES have tonight unveiled defender Diego Rico as their second summer signing.

Rico has joined the club for an undisclosed fee – believed to have been £10.7million – from Madrid-based La Liga outfit Leganés.

The 25-year-old Spaniard, who operates predominantly as a left-back, has penned a four-year contract.

Rico passed a medical at Vitality Stadium earlier today and completed the signing formalities after agreeing personal terms.

Cherries managed to see off strong competition for his signature with a host of high-profile European clubs having been keen to secure his services.

The former Real Zaragoza man turned down overtures from Bundesliga big guns Borussia Dortmund who will compete in the Champions League this season.

Rico, who joined Leganés from Zaragoza for just 1.2m euro in 2016, had also been linked with Spanish top-flight club Real Sociedad and Portuguese heavyweights Benfica.

It is believed his decision was swayed following a meeting with Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall during Cherries' pre-season training camp in La Manga last week.

Rico was one of a number of left-backs to have been linked with Cherries this summer, the others being Kieran Tierney from Celtic and Genoa’s Uruguayan international Diego Laxalt.

He will significantly beef up competition for places in the Cherries defence with Charlie Daniels having been the club's first-choice left-back – and seen off a host of contenders to his crown – since joining the club from Leyton Orient for £175,000 in 2011.

Rico follows David Brooks in joining Howe's squad for the coming season, the Welsh international signing for £10m from Sheffield United last month.