Former Carlisle United forward Sean Maguire has a new club.

The ex-Blues attacker has returned to Ireland to sign for Cork City.

It sees Maguire return to the club where he had a spell from 2016 to 2017.

He moves on as a free agent after being released by the Cumbrians at the end of the 2023/24 campaign - his one season at Brunton Park.

Maguire returns to the League of Ireland after a seven-year spell in the English game with Preston North End, Coventry City and Carlisle.

Cork say they have secured the 30-year-old on a "multi-year" contract and will join Tim Clancy's squad in the coming days.

Maguire, who has been spending part of pre-season with the Professional Footballers' Association's training camps, told the Cork website he was "absolutely thrilled" to be returning to Turners Cross.

"I had such an amazing spell at the club here before going to Preston and I have always wanted to come back," he said.

"I’ve been speaking with the club over the last few weeks, and I have been really impressed by the plans the club has to build towards getting back to where a club of this size should be.

There are some really good players at the club, some really exciting young players, and I hope that I can use my experience to help them to achieve their potential.

“I have been watching things at the club over the last few years and was really disappointed to see the club down in the First Division, but I know that the club has the ambition to be a force in the Premier Division again and I feel like I can make a big contribution to that."

Maguire made 35 appearances for Carlisle last season, scoring two goals. After his release the Republic of Ireland international claimed United's style of play had "not really suited me."

Cork boss Clancy added: "This is a fantastic signing for us.

"We are getting a striker with a really impressive pedigree at a very good level, but also someone who knows the club and loves being a part of the Rebel Army."

Clancy added that Cork had beaten "a lot of competition" to secure Maguire's signature.