Cathcart has been handed the number 22 jersey at Home Park

Plymouth Argyle have completed the signing of teenage defender Craig Cathcart on a six-month loan deal from Manchester United.

The 19-year-old centre-back will go straight into the Pilgrims' squad to face Wolves on Saturday.

Cathcart is yet to make his first-team debut for United but has spent time on loan at Royal Antwerp in Belgium.

Having been capped by Northern Ireland at under-21 level, he was also voted their youth player of the year in 2005.

The Belfast-born youngster was coveted by a number of clubs including Chelsea, Arsenal and Rangers before finally signing trainee terms with United in 2005.

He was made captain of the United youth team in 2007 and skippered the side that reached the FA Youth Cup final, although he missed both legs of the final.

He was called up to the United senior squad for the FA Cup sixth round replay against Middlesbrough in March and was an unused substitute in both their 7-1 Champions League victory over Roma and the FA Cup semi-final win over Watford.

Cathcart scored his first senior goal in only his second game whilst on loan at Royal Antwerp last season and went on to make 13 appearances for them.

The defender becomes Argyle manager Paul Sturrock's second signing of the week, after Wednesday's capture of midfielder Simon Walton from QPR.