Leicester City have signed Ireland U21 international defender Patrick McCarthy from Manchester City.

McCarthy has agreed a three year deal and should be available for City’s crunch clash with Nottingham Forest at the weekend.

The signing further supports Levein’s blue print to build a younger, settled squad for the future.

McCarthy was rated highly at Manchester City, but found it difficult to get in front of the defensive duo of Richard Dunne and Sylvain Distin.