Stuart Hogg believes he will be joining a club whose ambitions match his own when he makes the move to Exeter next summer.
The Chiefs have announced the signing of the Scotland full-back on a two-year deal from next season.
His capture is another show of intent from Rob Baxter's Gallagher Premiership-topping Sandy park outfit.
Hogg is leaving Glasgow after a nine-season stint in which he has established himself as one of the most exciting broken-field runners in world rugby.
🚨 – BREAKING NEWS – @ExeterChiefs confirm the signing of @Scotlandteam and @lionsofficial full-back @StuartWHOGG_ from @GlasgowWarriors ⬇️https://t.co/wtoL07Un8z pic.twitter.com/is57Q1cW8B — Exeter Chiefs (@ExeterChiefs) November 13, 2018
Capped 63 times by his country, he has also twice toured with the British and Irish Lions, helped Warriors to the Pro12 title in 2015 before being named the Six Nations' player of the tournament in both 2016 and 2017.
Now the 26-year-old says he is looking to add to that list of achievements in Devonshire.
He said: "I'm very excited about the move, it's a great opportunity for myself and my family. Like a lot of people I've seen how the Chiefs have risen over the last few years and I am a big fan of the way they play their rugby.
"Obviously, it's a new challenge for me, but it's also one that I am very much looking forward to. I've spoken to a few people about the club, the people and the area, and all I've heard is lots of positives.
📢- READ our exclusive first interview with @ExeterChiefs new signing @StuartWHOGG_ , who will join us next season on a two-year deal from @GlasgowWarriors ⬇️https://t.co/M1cLiacSf6 pic.twitter.com/8BRQxsakeQ — Exeter Chiefs (@ExeterChiefs) November 13, 2018
"This is a decision that's taken a great deal of thought as I've loved my nine seasons at Glasgow Warriors.
"I said I would decide my next step for family and rugby reasons and feel now is the right time to gain new rugby experiences and push myself in different situations where I will be challenged and hopefully improve further.
"I'm proud of what I have achieved with Glasgow and Scotland so far and would like to thank the club and Scottish Rugby for all their support. They have supported me when I had made my decision to move on."
The challenge, however, of tackling the Premiership is one that clearly appeals to Hogg and having sat down and spoken with Chiefs' director of rugby Baxter and head coach Ali Hepher, he is clearly relishing the challenge.
"Sitting down with both (director of rugby) Rob Baxter and (head coach) Ali Hepher, I like what they had to say, not just about the club, but how they wanted to play and how they saw things moving forward.
"You can see the club are hugely ambitious and want to win things and I'm very much the same.
"As I said, I'm looking forward to being part of the Chiefs moving forward and teaming up with some very good players down there."
Baxter admitted he had been tailing Hogg since 2016 but is delighted to have finally got his man.
🏉- @ExeterChiefs fans take a glimpse of what we can expect from our new signing @StuartWHOGG_ ⬇️https://t.co/iKsJ2Dpm1t — Exeter Chiefs (@ExeterChiefs) November 13, 2018
"We've tracked him for some time and we actually wanted to sign (him) before he signed his last contract at Glasgow," he said.
"At that stage, it wasn't the right time for him to move, but now it is and we feel he will be a fantastic addition to our squad.
"Yes, it's a statement on our part.
"But anyone who knows us and where we want to go will understand that for us to move forward and win trophies – which is undoubtedly what we want to do – we have to back ourselves fully, and that means bringing in players who we feel will take us to that next level."
ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Andy Newport, Press Association Sport');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', '80640fee-2a57-406c-b5ee-bf96c9dea1da');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:uk');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:rugby-union');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg to join Exeter Chiefs next summer'});
