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Stephen Crainey had been out of favour at Celtic

Southampton have signed Scotland defender Stephen Crainey from Celtic for a fee of around �500,000.

He arrives at St Mary's Stadium on a three-and-a-half year contract.

Bolton, Sunderland and West Ham had also been interested in the 22-year-old Scotland international.

Saints chairman Rupert Lowe said: "We are a little short of left-backs and that is a difficult position to fill. He is the right age and will be a good one for the future."

A fee had also been agreed this week with First Division West Ham, but Crainey preferred a move to the Premiership and he and his agent travelled south on Friday for talks.

"Like a lot of transfers, it went to the eleventh hour and the 59th minute and it took a lot of doing, but we have got there in the end," Lowe told his club's website.

	He is looking to play regular first-team football Celtic boss Martin O'Neill

"It is a good move for the player and for the club. "

Crainey was a regular with Scotland's Under-21s and won four full caps at a time when national boss Berti Vogts was giving younger players a chance to prove themselves at the top level.

But he has been unable to cement a regular place at Celtic Park and has only made six first-team appearances this season.

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill said: "It is an opportunity for Stephen.

"He is looking to play regular first-team football - which he hasn't been able to do here - and so this is an ideal opportunity for him."

There had been talk of a swap deal involving Crainey and Sunderland full-back Julio Arca, but the English First Division club, while interested in the young Scot, did not wish to lose the Argentine.

Crainey can play in central defence but prefers left-back, a position rarely on offer at Celtic due to O'Neill's preference for a three-man back-line.

O'Neill even preferred to use Michael Gray, the Blackburn left-back then on loan from Sunderland, when reverting to a back-four.

Saints hope that Crainey will challenge Graeme Le Saux, who is expected to return against Manchester United on Saturday after a two-month injury lay-off, for their left-back slot.

Southampton had turned to Crainey after failing in attempts to sign Inter Milan midfielder Khalliou Fadiga on loan.

However, they also paid �250,000 with the same again in appearances for Brentford goalkeeper Paul Smith.

Smith replaced Paul Jones, who moved to Wolves for �250,000.