Kevin Blackwell has started his summer shopping with the acquisition of highly rated Watford midfielder Lee Williamson for an undisclosed fee.

The English born but Jamaican qualified 27 year old passed a medical on Thursday and joins United's promotion chasing squad by treading the well-worn route between Vicarage Road and Bramall Lane.

He will link up with former team-mates Leigh Bromby and Darius Henderson and returns to South Yorkshire which he left in 2007 when the Hornets paid Rotherham United £1.2 million to take him and Will Hoskins south.

Whilst Hoskins struggled to make the breakthrough, Williamson debuted against Manchester United in the Premiership and became a regular.

He started his career at Mansfield Town (over 150 appearances), moved to Northampton Town in 2004/05 and a year later began an impressive stint with the Millers that raised his national profile enough to persuade Watford to move for him.

In March 2009, Williamson moved to Preston North End on-loan and played a key part in them reaching the play-offs, scoring in the Lilywhites 6-0 thrashing of Cardiff City.