Oldham boss Paul Dickov has beaten off stiff competition to make former Manchester United midfielder Ritchie Jones his first signing.
Jones, 23, is thought to have been offered a contract by a Championship outfit and two other clubs in League One following his recent departure from Hartlepool.
Dickov said: "We feel very lucky to have brought in Ritchie as a lot of clubs were looking at him and one Championship club had offered him a deal as had others from our division.
"When I took over, Ritchie was a player I identified as somebody with a great pedigree having obviously started at Manchester United, where he appeared in the first team, and who over the last two years has probably been Hartlepool's best player."
Source: PA