The 24-year-old has agreed a three-year deal and becomes our second summer signing following the arrival of fellow defender Matty Platt.
Bedeau arrives after leaving Morecambe, for whom he was a standout performer in both League One and Two.
And Richard Montague, who sits on our board and leads on recruitment, believes Bedeau will bring a fantastic blend of youth, experience and quality to our backline.
He said: “There are many reasons we’re excited to welcome Jacob into the squad.
“He’s a fantastic athlete – quick, powerful and brilliant in the air, while also being an outstanding one-v-one defender.
“Despite being only 24, he already has more than 150 EFL appearances to his name – not only proving his quality, but also his ability to stand up to the demands of the EFL.
“His age also means he has huge potential to grow with the club and we know we can provide the right environment for him to do that.”
Bedeau is a product of Leyton Orient and Bury’s academies – and he debuted for the latter in League One aged only 16.
He went on to make seven appearances for the Shakers, impressing sufficiently to earn a big-money move to Aston Villa who had beaten off competition from the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool for his signature.
Bedeau became a mainstay in Villa’s Under 23s in his two years in the West Midlands, before joining League One side Scunthorpe United and going on to establish himself as a regular starter despite still only being in his teens.
His promise was recognised by Burnley, who signed him following his departure from Scunthorpe, before he headed out on loan to Morecambe – a move he went on to make permanent.
In his time on the Lancashire coast, Bedeau racked up 61 League One appearances and another 43 in League Two before departing the club this summer.
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