Derry City's Mark Farren agrees pre-contract deal with Glenavon

Derry City striker Mark Farren will move to Glenavon in January after signing a pre-contract agreement with the Irish Premiership club.

Farren, 30, watched Saturday's 1-1 draw between Glenavon and Glentoran at Mourneview Park.

The deal is initially for 18 months with the option of a further season.

Glenavon were hoping to land Farren before the August transfer deadline but Derry have said that he will remain at the Brandywell until December.

"He's scored over 100 goals in just over 200 appearances in the league for Derry. In my opinion he's the best goal scoring centre-forward in the League of Ireland," Glenavon manager Gary Hamilton told the club's website.

"I've seen him play quite a bit and I've played against him a few times and he has lightening pace and he's brilliant in the box.

"He'll give this club a massive lift. Now we've got (Mattie) Burrows, myself, Guy Bates, young Andrew Mitchell and now we've Mark coming in, it's exciting times because we probably haven't had a strike force like that for a long time."

Donegalman Farren returned to football last September after undergoing successfully surgery on a benign brain tumour which was diagnosed in 2008.

Farren was out of action for a year before returning to the Derry squad and he signed a new contract with the Brandywell outfit last January.

However, the striker has struggled to hold down a first-team place with the Brandywell outfit this season.