AL-AMIN Kazeem says he enjoyed his time at Colchester United after leaving the club for pastures new.

The 22-year-old signed for St Patrick's Athletic on a 'multi-year deal' earlier this month, after turning down a contract offer from the U’s.

Kazeem was also offered a new deal by SSE Airtricity League of Ireland side Galway United but has decided to join Dublin-based St Patrick's.

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The left-back came through the academy at Colchester after joining them as a schoolboy and progressed to make his senior debut for them in August, 2022.

Kazeem told the St Patrick’s Athletic website: “It feels amazing, I'm delighted for myself and my family to be joining a big club like St Pat's.

“I had very positive conversations with the manager (Stephen Kenny) and the club and I'm delighted to be here.

“Playing in the League of Ireland for the first half of the season at Galway will definitely help me settling here, I played St Pat's twice so I have a good feel for what the team is like and the style of play, which I think will suit me very much.

(Image: STEVE BRADING)

“I'm attacking left-back, I like to go forward and join in the attacks and help creating things and I enjoy the defensive side of the game too.

“I've been at Colchester United since the age of 14/15, I enjoyed it there and also really enjoyed my loan spell at Galway and getting minutes there.

“I didn't know much about the League of Ireland before I came here but I've loved it so far, it's a good league, and very demanding, which I think I can succeed in.

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“I'm looking forward to playing in the St Pat's colours and having the fans behind me, I know Pat's have a very big crowd who are very supportive of their team, so I hope they can receive me positively.

"I want to win games, hopefully I can help St Pat's succeed and do as well as we can."

Kazeem played 38 times for Colchester after being handed his senior debut by Wayne Brown in August, 2022.

He made 14 league and cup first-team appearances for the U’s in the first half of last season, prior to joining Galway on loan.