Last updated on .From the section Football

Striker Curtis Allen has agreed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Irish Premiership club Glentoran.

Allen had been in talks with the Oval outfit over the Christmas period after returning home from a spell with Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

The forward formerly played for Lisburn Distillery, Linfield and Coleraine.

The Glens are hopeful that Allen will be available for their Irish Cup fifth round tie against Portadown on Saturday 11 January.

Premiership challengers Crusaders were also understood to be interested in the player, who spent six months with Caley Thistle before being released last month.

quote Eddie Patterson is building a good team here and I think I'll fit in well Curtis Allen

The club cited "injury problems and homesickness" as the reasons for the 25-year-old's recent departure.

The former Northern Ireland Under-21 international failed to make a first-team appearance for the Scottish Premier League outfit despite having featured on the substitutes' bench.

"I've been training full-time so my general fitness is good, hopefully I'll get my match fitness up soon," said Allen at the announcement of his signing on Thursday.

"Over the last few weeks I've had a lot of offers but I'm glad to finally get the deal done and I can't wait to get started.

"I met with both the chairman and the manager and this seemed to be the right move for me. Eddie Patterson is building a good team here and I think I'll fit in well and hopefully we'll be successful.

"I feel I can help some of the good young players who are in the squad and I just want to get out on the pitch and score goals."

"Curtis was a long-term target of mine. We had hoped to bring him here last summer but obviously he couldn't turn down the opportunity of full-time football in Scotland," said Patterson.

"Hopefully he will bring goals to our team. Obviously we've struggled a bit in that department as was clear at Dungannon.

"At 25, Curtis is still a young player who has yet to reach his prime so we look forward to him being successful at Glentoran."