Kyle Lafferty admits it was a "no brainer" to link up with David Healy at Linfield.
The 35-year-old striker has joined the Blues for the remainder of the season after leaving Kilmarnock on transfer deadline day.
Lafferty says former teammate Healy was a major reason why he decided to move to Windsor Park.
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And he is ready to hit the ground running for the champions as they chase a fifth successive Gibson Cup.
“I had other options. A lot of teams are looking for strikers and obviously I became available, which was a surprise," Lafferty said.
“But every time I’ve left a club, I’ve always had a message from the gaffer - and it sounds strange at the minute calling him the gaffer. He’s always been brilliant like that and everyone knows the respect I have to him and what he has done for me in my career.
“He’s done things for me on and off the pitch down the years but I never actually thought I’d come home to play football. To play at Windsor, play under the gaffer and have the chance of winning two trophies, it’s obviously something that I like the sound of.
“It was a no-brainer and it will get me playing football again and hopefully scoring goals. And if I can do that, hopefully I can still be around the international squad."
Lafferty - who has scored 20 goals in 89 appearances for Northern Ireland - will be out to prove the doubters wrong following a nomadic football career.
Over the last four years he has played for six clubs in countries including Scotland, England, Norway, Italy and Cyprus.
Lafferty also only returned to action recently following a 10-game ban for use of sectarian language while on duty for Northern Ireland last year.
He added: “I don’t feel as though I’ve anything to prove to anyone. I think I’ve had a good career and played for some top teams but I know coming here I can show people how good I was. It hangs over my head that I haven’t scored for Northern Ireland in so long and although I haven’t played as many games under Ian Baraclough, it is still something that hangs over me.
“I know players will want to test themselves against me and I’ll be a marked man, but I think that is when I perform at my best. Hopefully I can score goals and help my team to win and that will be the best answer.
“I’m ready for that but I’m here to concentrate on my football and try to help Linfield win the league. If people want to raise their game against me, that will give me confidence to perform at a higher level."
Reflecting on his January exit from Kilmarnock, Lafferty said: "One minute you’re the main main and the next you’re out of the team. That was because of the mistake I made and the video coming out.
“I had to work myself back in but the club and the gaffer at Kilmarnock helped me through all of that and stood by me.
“I took the punishment I deserved and they got me the help I needed, which shows what a good club and manager they are."
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