Garner quits United to join Forest
Last updated 10:47, Saturday, 26 July 2008
Young Carlisle United striker Joe Garner has joined Nottingham Forest in a £1.14million deal.
The 20-year-old, who became Carlisle's record signing when he joined them in a £140,000 deal from Blackburn Rovers on the eve of last season, has signed a four-year contract at the Championship club.
Garner is currently sidelined with a cruciate knee ligament injury, but is expected to be fit by the end of September.
Blackburn will receive £500,000 from a sell-on clause inserted in Garner's contract.
United revealed this week they were powerless to prevent the former England youth international leaving Brunton Park if another club offered £1.14million.
Under the terms of the contract that Garner and his agent insisted on when he joined them last August, he would be allowed to leave Brunton Park when another club offered £1million on top of the £140,000 record fee Carlisle paid for him.
Those conditions were reluctantly accepted by the United board because Garner was on the brink of signing for SPL side Dundee United - only to change his mind and instead signed for the Blues.
Forest last month had a £500,000 bid for the youngster rebuffed but he remained a key target of manager Colin Calderwood.
Garner is one of the hottest prospects outside of the Premiership after scoring 14 goals for the Blues last season before suffering his injury at Crewe in February.
Blackburn will also have a 50 per cent cut of any future sell-on.
