Carlisle arrives in Watford

Watford have completed the £100,000 signing of Leeds United defender Clarke Carlisle, beating off competition from Stoke.

The former QPR centre back, 25, was told he could leave Leeds by manager Kevin Blackwell after slipping down the Elland Road pecking order and Watford boss Adrian Boothroyd wasted no time in snapping him up.

Watford's back-line had been depleted with Boothroyd - himself a former Leeds coach - losing the services of Icelandic international Brynjar Gunnarsson, Neil Cox, Sean Dyche and Paul Mayo over the summer.

Carlisle - who played 32 times for Leeds last season, scoring five goals - will be a welcome addition to a squad widely tipped to struggle this season, and Boothroyd told the Watford official website: "He's exactly the type of defender I wanted and I'm absolutely delighted that he's coming here.

"We had to fend off the advances of several clubs to get Clarke's signature and he's going to be a fantastic player for Watford."

The former Blackpool trainee has initially joined on loan, allowing him to make his debut in Saturday's Championship opener at home to Preston, and will make the move permanent on Monday.