Tony Watt: St Johnstone sign Scotland striker on one-year deal

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Tony Watt in action for Hearts agaisnt St JohnstoneImage source, SNS
Image caption,

Tony Watt scored one goal in 16 games during a six-month loan spell at Hearts in 2016

Scotland cap Tony Watt has signed a one-year deal with Premiership side St Johnstone.

The former Celtic forward, 24, was a free agent after leaving Belgian second-tier side OH Leuven in February.

His last competitive match came for English League One side Charlton Athletic 11 months ago.

"He's the kind of striker that can score you a goal out of nothing and he's hungry to get going," manager Tommy Wright told the club website., external

"He's still only 24-years-old and he comes to the club with a clean slate. We want him to realise his potential here and he knows how I operate and he's keen to be a part of it."

He becomes St Johnstone's second signing of the summer, joining midfielder Drey Wright, who made the move from Colchester United.

Watt said: "I'm itching to play. It's been a while since I've been involved and after training with the boys this morning I was really impressed with the standard. I can't wait to get started."

Watt admitted to BBC Scotland on Saturday that the coming season was "make or break" for his career, and had expressed a desire to stay in the UK.

He said: "The hunger is there, it's not been in question.

"A couple of bad decisions in terms of where I've went have set me back a year or two, but that's ok, that's football, and I'll just need to prolong my career a year or two at the end and get back that lost time."

Aged 18, Watt famously scored the winning goal as his Celtic side beat Barcelona in the group stage of the 2012 Champions League, helping Neil Lennon's men qualify for the last 16.

He moved to Lierse on loan two years later, before signing for Belgian counterparts Standard Liege.

Watt returned to Britain in 2015, joining Charlton, and had loan spells at Cardiff City, Blackburn Rovers and Hearts.

He won his one Scotland cap to date as a late substitute in a friendly against the Czech Republic in March 2016.

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