OXFORD United's long wait to sign Chris Cadden is finally over - and he is set to make his debut against Fulham tonight.

After weeks of work, the versatile 22-year-old has joined in a season-long loan deal, which has a recall clause in January.

The plan is to play Cadden at right back, but he can operate higher up the flank or in central midfield.

It ends a frustrating fortnight for the U's. The Scotland international has been training with them but could not play in pre-season games until a complicated two-part transfer was completed.

They lost out to Columbus Crew in the race to sign Cadden, whose Motherwell contract expired this summer.

Also read: All the transfers across League One this summer

But with the American club's roster for international players full this season, they have loaned him out to United in the meantime.

"It’s been weird," he said.

"I’ve just been waiting by the phone, but the boys have been great with me in training.

"Everyone here has been brilliant with me. I really can’t wait to get started."

The move was held up by negotiations between Motherwell and Columbus Crew over the level of compensation which was due.

International clearance was then required to take his registration across the Atlantic, before further paperwork was required to complete the switch to United.

Head coach Karl Robinson said: "He’s somebody we went in initially to sign on a permanent, but didn’t manage to get that over the line.

"As soon as we knew he was going to Columbus Crew we got a phone call out of the blue saying ‘we knew how much you wanted him, do you want to take him on loan?’

"We thought if he was our main target in the summer we’d be silly not to.

"We’re not paying a transfer fee, so that means it can go somewhere else."

He added: "We’ve just had to wait and it’s been a bit frustrating.

"We want to announce signings and it would have been great to have done it two weeks ago, when it would have bridged that gap being so long from Tariqe (Fosu) coming in."