Derby County have signed Scottish defender Russell Anderson on a free transfer following his departure from Sunderland. Anderson's contract with the Black Cats was cancelled by mutual consent on Thursday and he has now agreed a deal until the summer with Derby. The experienced centre-half could make his Rams debut against Peterborough on Saturday and Nigel Clough is delighted to have added Anderson to his squad. "Russell is an excellent defender who brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge," the Derby boss told the club's official website. "He is the type of character we are looking to add to the squad; he wants to play football and is prepared to work hard. "He played in the Championship last season for Burnley, so he knows what it takes to compete in this division. "With Dean Leacock and Miles Addison both carrying injuries it is important to bring in some cover and boost our numbers. "It might take Russell a couple of weeks to get up to full speed, but we need a fresh face in central defence and we believe Russell has the qualities and courage to step up to the mark if we ask him to." Anderson made just one substitute's appearance in the Premier League for Sunderland after joining from Aberdeen in 2007, while he endured a lengthy lay-off with a knee injury suffered on loan at Burnley in September 2008.