Aironi have announced the signing of Italian flanker Mauro Bergamasco.

Bergamasco arrived in Viadana earlier this week and has signed a contract until the end of the season with an option for a second year.

The former Stade Francais star has notched up over 50 European appearances in his career during his time at Stade Francais, Benetton Treviso and Petrarca Rugby and is delighted to be returning to Italy.

“After eight years in France I have come back to Italy to bring my experience and my will to continue to play at the highest level with the Aironi squad”, he said.

“I’m really excited for the opportunity and to do this with an Italian team that is young and ambitious, where I find a lot of team-mates with the Azzurri and a number of young talents who can represent the future of Aironi and Italy both during the next seasons.

“I never hide my will to continue to play in a big European championship, and to do it with an Italian team represents to my eyes a new great motivation”.

Aironi travel to Ulster this weekend in the Heineken Cup before welcoming the Irish Province to northern Italy a week later.