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Robbie Benson's expected move to St Pat's has been confirmed by the club today and he says he's ready to link up with Stephen O'Donnell once again.

The 27-year-old leaves Dundalk after a glittering four-year spell which included three league titles, an FAI Cup, and big moments galore in Europe.

And Benson's former Lilywhites team-mate O'Donnell, now the Saints boss just a year after announcing his retirement, has tempted the Athlone native to swap Oriel Park for Richmond Park.

"I'm happy with the move and I am looking forward to the next stage in my career," he said.

"Stephen got onto me and informed me of what he was setting out to do at the club and it seemed like the right fit for me and a chance to seek a new challenge.

"I know Stephen and have great respect for him so it was easy for me to make the jump and join Pat's.

"Stephen is a person who was a great teammate, captain, person and mentor to me in my time at Dundalk. Anyone who knows Stephen or played with him or encountered him will know his philosophies on the game and how much knowledge of the game he has.

"He can bring success back to St Pat's and hopefully I can play a small part in helping in that."

O'Donnell was predictably thrilled to finally unveil Benson, who becomes the Inchicore club's second signing of the window after UCD winger Jay McClelland.

"I'm delighted to acquire a player of Robbie's calibre," O'Donnell said.

"I think he is one of the best players in the league and it's huge for Pat's to have a player like that in the prime of his career in our ranks now.

"He's a player I know well having played with him at Dundalk, and I look forward to working with him and I think it's a big statement from the club ahead of next season.

"Robbie has been there and done it in the league and has excelled on the European stage.

"We are talking about someone who scored a famous volleyed goal in the final qualifiers of the Champions League against Legia Warsaw, and he has scored in big Europa League games against Zenit St Petersburg and in Dundalk's win over BATE Borisov.

"Robbie can play and excel at a European stage and they are the type of acquisitions that we are looking at trying to make here.

"We signed Jay McClelland last week from UCD and he is another one with a good profile as a young player with a lot of talent.

"For someone like him, we'll be looking for Robbie to lead by example, and be a leader in the dressing room that younger players can to look up to."