Derry City midfielder Will Patching has departed the League of Ireland to move to Carlisle United on a two-and-a-half-year contract when the January transfer window opens.
Patching, 26, joins the struggling League Two side after the expiration of his deal with Derry.
The former Manchester City youth player signed for Dundalk ahead of their 2020 season, before heading to Derry City, initially on loan, in 2021.
He returned to Dundalk and scored in both legs of their Europa Conference League play-off game whilst also featuring in the majority of their Premier Division games that season.
The midfielder then returned to Derry on a permanent basis ahead of the 2022 season and leaves the club having made over 130 appearances, scoring 35 goals.
However he struggled for form in the latter part of last season with an exit largely expected.
Carlisle boss Mike Williamson said: "Will is a really exciting signing, he brings experience and a technical quality that will improve us.
"He brings a skillset that will get fans excited, we just need to manage him over these next few weeks and almost get another pre-season into him to make sure he's ready to go.
"He’s been finished his season in Ireland for over a month, so we’ll need to do some work with him to get him back up to speed.
"We’ve managed to beat off competition from a number of other clubs to get him in with us so we’re delighted."
United are currently bottom of the League Two table as they battle to avoid relegation from the Football League, albeit with three games in hand on their rivals.
