Linfield's success speaks for itself, says Kieran Offord after Blues win race for striker's signature
Linfield striker signing Kieran Offord felt the lure of success was too hard to turn down after completing his reported six-figure move to Windsor Park.
The Scottish forward - who scored 14 times in all competitions whilst on loan at Crusaders in the first half of the season - was involved in a transfer tug-of-war as both the Blues and Glentoran eyed up his services on a permanent basis.
However, it was Linfield who won the race after agreeing an undisclosed figure with Scottish Premiership side St Mirren.
When asked about why he chose Linfield over their city rivals, the 20-year-old said on the club social media platforms: "It's just a massive club.
"The success speaks for itself, they've put themselves in a good position this year for the league and I want success. I've really enjoyed it...it's a good league.
"It's a good standard and I think it sort of suits my strengths...I've really enjoyed it so far and I want to continue it."
Offord says the permanent switch can really kick-start his career after loans at East Stirlingshire, Alloa Athletic, Edinburgh City, Stirling Albion and Crusaders.
"I've played two pre-season friendlies here for St Mirren back-to-back,” he added. "I never played much right enough as I was a young boy but I came off the bench both times.
"It's a great pitch, a great stadium and I'm going to wear the Linfield colours this time.
"I think this really is the beginning of my career and I'm just looking to kick on.”
It’s a significant boost for Linfield’s Gibson Cup ambitions as Healy’s side look to convert their current 16-point advantage at the summit into silverware.
“We are thrilled to welcome Kieran to Linfield,” said Healy. “He is a player we have been tracking for a number of months, and we believe he has the ability to add more quality to the squad in this crucial period.
"His time at Crusaders has shown that he has what it takes to be a top player in this league, he has a good goal scoring record at this level and we’re looking forward to working with him to develop further."
Offord could make his debut tonight, depending on international clearance, against Crusaders.