Ryan Harpur: Swifts captain to join Ballymena United in January

Ballymena United have strengthened their squad for the Irish Premiership title race by accelerating the capture of Dungannon captain Ryan Harpur.

The Sky Blues announced on Wednesday they had agreed a deal to sign Harpur at the end of the season but have now secured his early release from Swifts.

Harpur has agreed a two-and-a-half year deal that will begin on 1 January.

The 30-year-old captained the Swifts to the League Cup last season - beating Ballymena in the final.

"Obviously last evening we agreed terms with Ryan to join," explained Ballymena manager David Jeffrey.

"Our hope was to get him in this window but we weren't sure, so we took an opportunity to speak to Kris Lindsay, and the chairmen have spoken with an agreement reached to allow him to join now."

Jeffrey and assistant manager Bryan McLaughlin had identified Harpur as a transfer target after the midfielder scored twice for the Swifts this season - getting the equaliser against the Sky Blues in a 1-1 draw in October and also scoring the opening goal in a 3-2 win over Crusaders in December.

"He brings something different, he's technically very good, he goes forward and scores goals but he's also steely and solid in the middle," added Jeffrey.

"In terms of profiling he's a bit older than the other players we have brought in but as good a player he is, we all agree that he can be even better again and we'll work hard to make him the best that he can be."

Portadown-native Harpur has spent the past six seasons at Stangmore Park having joined from Glenavon in 2012 but the Swifts have already appointed Christopher Hegarty as their new captain with Seanan Clucas taking over as vice captain after the pair both agreed a new contracts with the club.

"Chris and Seanan are excellent players with the ability, attitude and desire needed in order to push the club forward," said Dungannon boss Kris Lindsay.

"They are both local lads and are the type of player that we need to build the club around and that have the club at heart."

Defender Hegarty has signed a one-year extension that will keep him at Dungannon until 2022 while Clucas has committed to the Swifts until 2020.