Carlisle United have today completed the deadline-day signing of creative midfielder Stefan Scougall.

The Blues have swooped for the 26-year-old on a deal to the end of the season, hours after he agreed to end his stay at Scottish Premiership side St Johnstone.

Scougall had been eyed by Steven Pressley for the last two weeks, the United boss having managed the midfielder during his spell at Fleetwood in 2016.

They are now reunited with Scougall becoming Carlisle's fifth signing of the week ahead of the 11pm transfer cut-off.

United - still hoping to bring in a striker whilst waiting on Rotherham's decision on Jerry Yates - beat off other interest for Scougall with Ayr among the clubs reportedly interested.

Scougall only figured six times for St Johnstone this campaign, scoring once, and the Perth club had discussed sending him out on loan.

United, though, preferred a permanent deal, already having five loan players – the maximum number they can name in a matchday squad.

A former Scotland Under-21 international, he made 33 appearances and scored two goals in two campaigns with Saints.

He moved north of the border after three-and-a-half years with Sheffield United, for whom Scougall made 100 appearances and scored 10 goals.

Among his strikes was an impressive finish for the Blades at Wembley in their 2014 FA Cup semi-final 5-3 defeat to Hull.

He moved to Bramall Lane in January 2014 in a deal worth up to £400,000 after impressing for first club Livingston.

His arrival at Carlisle adds further midfield options following the recent departure of loan man Jack Sowerby to parent club Fleetwood.

He joins fellow midfield new boy Callum O'Hare among Pressley's options for Saturday's trip to Crewe.

Speaking on United's website, manager Pressley said of Scougall: "We're getting a high energy and very creative player with this signing.

"He can also score goals and that's important in terms of the way I want to play.

"He's a player I've liked for a long, long time. He was a very effective player up in Scotland, which got him his move to Sheffield, and he did particularly well there in League One.

"He played for me at Fleetwood and he was excellent for me there. I've stayed in touch with him and I've monitored his progress, because we have a very good relationship, and when he became available he was somebody I wanted to make a move for quickly.

"He's a lad that just loves to play football and he has an infectious personality. 

"There were a number of options he could have pursued but he enjoyed playing under me and I think that will have had a bearing on his decision."

Scougall is the sixth January signing at Brunton Park following Connor Simpson, Arthur Gnahoua, Peter Grant, O'Hare and Nathan Thomas.

Fleetwood boss Joey Barton, meanwhile, says he wants Ashley Nadesan to stay at the club after shutting the door on any immediate return for the striker to Carlisle.

Nadesan, who returned to the League One club this month after a half-season loan in Cumbria, was wanted for a second spell by the Blues.

He has since, though, forced his way into the Cod Army line-up and, though he is out of contract in the summer, Barton says he is part of his plans.

“I don’t know what had gone on before but clearly it was not favourable, so they ended up in a situation where his contract [had] a year to run," Barton said in The Gazette.

“I’ve been transparent with Nadders. I thought it was best for him to get a loan.

“He went on loan, has done well and has come back in. I said that if you go out on loan and do well, you will come back as a first-team player.

“I think I have been true to my word on that. Over the last few games he has done really well.

“When he came back, I didn't say, ‘You have to do this or you won’t play'. That is not my style. I said, 'Come in, play your games and we will have a conversation about it'. If he wants to stay, great.

“If he sees his future elsewhere, then I’m surmising over the next four or five months that we will talk that out. We want him to stay."