Ninth-tier FC St Helens sign Ecuador's Montero

Jefferson Montero's most recent appearance in English football came for Birmingham City in a 1-0 defeat by Leicester City in March 2020

Ninth-tier non league side FC St Helens have signed Ecuador international Jefferson Montero.

The 35-year-old, who won 64 caps for his country and played in the 2014 World Cup, joins an FC St Helens side that are eighth in the North West Counties Premier Division.

Montero previously played in English football with Swansea City and Birmingham City and also turned out for Spanish sides Villareal and Real Betis.

"He knows our sporting director Mark Hayes and does a bit of work with him," manager Michael Smith told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"It came about maybe a month or so ago. We put in his international clearance and he just wanted to come over and play.

"He wanted to look further up the pyramid but we managed to convince him to come down and have a look and see what he thought."

Montero most recently played in England during a spell with Birmingham in 2019-20 and Smith says the winger has kept fit despite not playing for four months.

He will not take part in Friday's league game against Chadderton, however, with Smith hopeful he will be ready to feature later in the month.

"We wanted to try and involve him but he said he's got another 20% worth of fitness to put in before he can show what he's about," Smith said.

"Fair play to him because a lot of people just want to come in and think they can play straight away."