Norwich City defender Jon Otsemobor has joined League One rivals Southampton on a free transfer. The 26-year-old right-back, whose Carrow Road contract was due to expire at the end of this season, has signed for the Saints on a six-month contract.

Norwich City defender Jon Otsemobor has joined League One rivals Southampton on a free transfer.

The 26-year-old right-back, whose Carrow Road contract was due to expire at the end of this season, has signed for the Saints on a six-month contract.

Otsemobor was signed by former City boss Peter Grant in the summer of 2007 on a free transfer from Crewe Alexandra after beginning his career with Premier League club Liverpool.

He made six first team appearances for the Reds. He also had loan spells at Hull City, Bolton Wanderers and Rotherham United before settling under the guidance of Dario Gradi at Crewe.

In total, Otsemobor made 104 appearances for the Canaries, scoring twice.

He lost his place to new signing Russell Martin in recent weeks and has been on the bench for five of the last six matches.

City boss Paul Lambert told the club's official website: 'Jon did really well for me and he moves on with our best wishes. Good luck to him.'

Otsemobor becomes the third defender signed by Southampton this week after the capture of Jose Fonte, from Crystal Palace, and Dan Seaborne, from Exeter.

He will offer Saints added strength at right-back, with Graeme Murty still recovering from damaging his ankle ligaments.

'I spoke to the manager earlier today and he made it clear that first and foremost we want to get out of this league and take it on from there,' Otsemobor told the Saints website yesterday.

'I found myself in a situation at Norwich where I wasn't playing and was in the last year of my contract, so I sat down with the manager and said that it was important that I played games. Once I knew Southampton were interested it was a just a case of the getting the clubs to agree to a move.

'It's definitely set up for the Championship here. I don't know the lads yet, but the squad is decent, the lads just need a winning mentality and that's what the manager is going to try and instil into the squad.

'To be where we are after the 10-point deduction shows that there's been some sort of momentum, so I think it's case of trying to keep some consistency - if you get a good run together you never know where you can end up. If we can do it then the play-offs are a possibility.

'I've played against Saints a few times and you train through the week thinking about the players you'll face like (Adam) Lallana and (Rickie) Lambert. They're quality players so I'm looking forward to training with them.'